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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

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

Fraud email example:

From: "GTBank" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <romanygallina@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2016 22:34:18 +0100
Subject: ATTENTION PLEASE

Attention please,
 
This is official message from THE DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN OPERATIONS CREDIT SETTLEMENT GTBANK GHANA.
 
Please be informed that we received notice from one Mr. Justin McDonald who said he is your family Lawyer from your country.
 
He stated that you directed him to make a claim of your ATM CARD Issued by GTBank with the PIN CODE for full ACTIVATION, immediately you were unable to contact us because of your illness for over some years now.
 
As soon as we get confirmations from you the ATM CARD will be activated and handed over to him with the PIN CODE. If the claim (Mr. Justin McDonald) is false, please do not hesitate to forward your details for the delivery of the ATM CARD to you as stated bellow:
 
1) Your Full Name.
2) Current Delivery Address.
3) Direct Telephone Number.
 
NOTE: THE ATM CARD IS YOUR APPROVED PAYMENT OF US$2.5 MILLION DOLLAR LOADED INTO IT’S FOR YOUR INHERITANCE/COMPENSATION.
 
We anxiously wait to hear from you in no distant time.
 
Congratulations once again.
 
Regards,
Romany Gallina
Tel: +233206999717
 

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