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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: "HSBC London Office" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jrdonley@donley.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2023 18:26:40 -0800
Subject: Alert About Your Fund (FROM BANK)

HSBC BANK PLC LONDON.(REGISTERED NO.1026167).
ADDRESS: 8 CANADA SQUARE, CANARY WHARF, LONDON E14 5HQ, UK.

Attn: Beneficiary,

We write to inform you that Series of meetings that was held with the Secretary General of United Nations,U.S Department of State and Africa Union Organization this ended last week.

During the meeting we discovered that you have not receive your funds due to past corrupt Government Officials who almost held the funds to themselves for their selfish reason, who have taken advantage of your fund all in an attempt to defraud you, which has led to unnecessary delay in releasing the funds to you.

The as stated above has already passed a payment mandate to our bank, to clear all over due Contract funds, Lottery winnings and Inheritance/Investment funds owed to you and other individuals/organizations who have been found not to receive their long overdue payment.

A woman by name (MRS: CINDY MAY A CITIZEN OF USA) contact us with an application stating that you gave her the power of attorney to be the beneficiary of your Outstanding funds. She made us to believe that you are dead and that she is your next of kin. We decided to send you email through this address hoping to find out if what she said is true before we can take any action because of the sensitive nature of the transaction and the amount of money that is involved:

For the immediate release of the sum of $21.5M to you legally as the legal recipient if you are alive and did not authorize Cindy May, you are required to send YOUR FULL NAME, CURRENT ADDRESS, CELL PHONE AND FAX NUMBER if any for onward proceeding on how you are going to receive the said funds legally without any problem either now or in future. Treat as urgent.

Yours Sincerely,

Mr. Noel Quinn
HSBC Chief Executive Officer .

Anti-fraud resources: