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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: "Rt Hon George Osborne MP" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <georgeosborne@hmtreasury-gov.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:16:35 +0200
Subject: Client Order Confirmation

HM Treasury's Correspondence and Enquiry Unit
From The Office of Rt Hon George Osborne MP
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Horse Guards Road
London SW1A 2HQ
Tel:+44 (0) 700 580 0054
 
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
 
Our Ref: UK/TREAS/898ATCP
File Code No: HM/IMF/7890/121
 
 
COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN PAYMENT RESOLUTION PANEL ON WITHHELD PAYMENTS
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy. The Treasury maintains the Combined Online Information System (COINS) containing a detailed analysis of departmental spending under thousands of category headings.
 
This message is to notify you on a private note based on your claim to your inherited contract fund which was withheld for payment to you due to inappropriate payment applications provided for government approval of fund claim. You are being contacted today because you are one of the individuals shortlisted to benefit from my assistance in reclaiming unpaid funds, Although you are hearing from me for the first time, The Board has resolved your case which is enlisted among all pending international outgoing fund transfer applications and which its stipulated amount for payment into your designated account has been reduced to the total sum of Fifteen Million & Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars ($15,500,000.00 USD). I want to state that your claim has been placed under my jurisdiction to authoritatively sign and transfer your funds into your designated account and it is now under my control to assist you in making a proper documentation to make your claim genuine until you are paid.
 
Please note that this is a serious case and I will let you know about this issue and the requirements you need to provide and documents to sign for your payment as soon as I receive your response. Also, make sure to send your response to this e-mail: georgeosborne@hmtreasury-gov.com
 
Waiting for your favourable response if you need my assistance.
 
 
Regards,
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Rt Hon George Osborne MP (Conservative)
HM Treasury Chancellor's Private Office.
 
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Disclaimer: The information in this email and in any files transmitted with it, is intended only for the addressee and contains confidential and/or privileged material. Access to this email by anyone else is unauthorized. If you receive this in error, please contact the sender immediately and delete the material from your computer. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is strictly prohibited.
 

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