419 scam: "UK TREASURY"<nelsswilliams1@voila.fr> Your Payment(Reminder)

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "clearance document" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "ben225@voila.fr" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447024079242 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "UK TREASURY" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <nelsswilliams@voila.fr>
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:52:54 +0100
Subject: Your Payment(Reminder)

THE DEPARTMENT OF THE UK TREASURY OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSET CONTROL
REGULATIONS.
1 Horse Guards Road London SW1A 2HQ, UK
Tel: +44-7024079242
T/Fax:+44-7031932752

Dr.Nelson Williams
Director, Compliance Board
Lincoln R. Charles
General Counsel

Dear Sir/Madam,

SUBJECT: PAYMENT OF ACCUMULATED INTEREST SUM, TRN LAIKI435537672828,
AMOUNT USD1,198,901-02 (ONE MILLION, ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY EIGHT
THOUSAND, NINE HUNDRED AND ONE UNITED STATES DOLLARS, AND TWO CENTS) ONLY.

This is to inform you that we have just received a NOTIFICATION from
a bank here (Laiki Bank (Guernsey) Limited, Channel Islands, UK)
concerning a deposited funds of US$1,198,901.02 in their custody. Based on
the letter of notifcation from the bank, they said that sometime ago, a
fund was sent to their bank from Africa to be transferred to your
account as the beneficiary, but due to inability of the Bank to settle all
clearance problems with the UK Treasury Department concerning the
source of the fund, the fund was repatriated and payment cancelled.

The bank informed us that during the time this fund stayed in their
custody waiting for clearance, it had an accumulated interest sum of
US$1,198,901.02 and from further information, we have discovered that you
are the beneficiary of the fund; hence we send you this letter.

We are ready to release this interest sum either by KTT (KEY TESTED
TELEX TRANSFER) or by ATM CREDIT CARD SYSTEM (recommended) to you within
72hrs of this payment notice and endorsement as soon as we hear
from you; hence we are sending you this payment notification to enable
you come forward to claim the interest sum. Note that we recommend to
release this interest sum to you by ATM CREDIT CARD SYSTEM because
CARD PAYMENT SYSTEM is fast and easy
and the bank will only have to process your card and load your funds
directly in the card and despatch it to you within 72hrs of this same
payment order.

And since it is an accumulated interest payment, it will not require
you to present any clearance documents like Anti-terrorist or money
laundering clearance certificates etc as in the release of your contract
sum or bank to bank wire. This method does not waste time, because once
you comply with the issuing procedures for the card, your payment is
guaranteed. And the Card Value shall be: US$1,198,901.02 only and you are
advised that a maximum withdrawal value of $35,000.00 USD is permitted
on withdrawal per day. Be further informed that as the bank is duly
inter-switched with banks all over the world, you can make withdrawals at
any Card Cash Center of your choice in the world.
You should get back to this office without delay.

Attn: Dr. Chris Baker
Tel: +44-7031932746
Fax: +44-7092004111
Email: ben225@voila.fr

In addition, you are advised to furnish me with the following for final
vetting and onward release to you:
1. Your Full name and address
2. Your telephone and fax numbers
3. Your banking details for the payment.
We are waiting for your reply in order to apply funds, hence you
should treat as urgent and of top priority for a better service from us as we
have ONLY 72hrs mandate to process and release this interest sum to you.

Sincerely yours,
Dr.Nelson Williams

Compliance Board

Lincoln Charles
Board General Counsel

C.c: Ms. Stella Barger (Associate Director, Division of Banking
Supervision)
C.c: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
C.c: Gerard Lemos, Independent Director, Banking Code Standards Board

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam