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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: "Ms Jo" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ukdebt.serviceoffice@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2017 12:53:40 +0100
Subject: Your Mail

Greeting,
 
Please do not ignore this letter.You may have been contacted by a number of agencies before now regarding your unpaid fund which you probably ignored.The new government regime in its quest for "CHANGE" has mandated my office to reach out to you this last time in compliance with our promises to the G7 (the Group of Seven governmental forum of leading advanced economies in the world), OPEC member nations and United Nations as regards the settlement of all outstanding international payments owed to beneficiaries.
 
If you have a genuine claim of unpaid funds, kindly revert back to this office with the following details to enable the review and final wire transfer of your fund to the account stipulated by you.
 
Your Full Names,Address,Home, Office and Mobile phone numbers (provide at least two)
Details of transaction (Government Contract or Inheritance or Lottery Winning)
,Your bank account details Your Occupation and any form of identification.
 
We understand that our letter may come as a surprise and sometimes sound as if the information we give you is too good to be true. I will be glad to give further clarification and directives upon your response.
 
Regards
Ms Jo Whelan
Director Manager
Commissioner for the Reduction of the National Debt
UK Debt Management Office.

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