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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: "Barclays Bank Plc" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnmcfarlane.grouchairman@mail.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2019 13:01:28 +0100
Subject: From Barclays Bank Group Chairman, London, UK

Attention To The Rightful E-Mail Owner,

This is to bring your knowledge to an inheritance payment of 10.5 Million US Dollars only, allocated and approved for payment to your name. An irrevocable comprehensive instruction has been received for the amount and we are ready to pay as soon as you open communication with us.

Upon receipt of your reply, we shall send our payment documents to you to fill and sign and send back to us for immediate release of your fund to you. Attached is copy of my official Identification and British Passport to ascertain my personality.

Looking forward in hearing from you,

Yours sincerely,

John McFarlane, (Group Chairman),
Barclays Bank Plc,
Registered number: 1026167,
1 Churchill Place, London, ENG E14 5HP,
SWIFT Code: BARCGB21,
Direct Telephone: +44 770 000 8965,
www.barclays.co.uk.

Anti-fraud resources: