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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr BRETT BURROWS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <BrettBurrows002@1email.eu>
Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2016 00:05:38 -0000
Subject: Sad Ordeal About Your Unpaid Fund

Attn: Sir,

How are you doing now?

I am very sorry I have to reach you through this medium. I am a member of staff, ethics and privileges department of the World Bank and I am aware of your sad ordeal about your unpaid fund.

It may interest you to know that not long after the World Bank completed the merger and acquisition process of all pending payments due to the petition raised by the international community about their unpaid funds. I discovered that my boss connived with some top World Bank officials to divert funds approve to settle unpaid inheritances, email lottery winners, Internet scam victims, unclaimed consignments(concealed funds) and International Contractors.

The World Bank has already given approval for the payment of your fund but they deliberately withheld your payment file and continue to demand fees from you through their associates from different unassigned affiliates mostly from Africa, the UK, US and the Netherlands all in an attempt to frustrate you and enrich themselves. I wonder why you haven??t notice all this while.

You may choose to disbelieve this alert as inconceivable but my doctrine does not permit such act, reason I have to open up to you to seek the right channel. Your fund was authorized to be paid to you through the World Bank asset management firm with a Key Tested Reference/Claim Code Number, which was supposed to have been issued to you before now.

Upon your response to my message, I shall guide you through and provide you with details to contact the World Bank assigned affiliate who will facilitate the release of your fund.

Thanks and have a nice day.

Yours Truly,

Mr.Thomas Ray
World Bank office.205 6-5-16

Anti-fraud resources: