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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: "MR THOMAS CRAWFORD" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrthomascraw@w.cn>
Date: Mon, 5 Apr 2010 09:21:23 +0100
Subject: INTERNATIONAL FUND APPROVAL AND PAYMENT

FROM THE DESK OF MR THOMAS CRAWFORD
DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER, MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM
HSBC BANK OF LONDON
ADDRESS Hsbc Bank Building, 3397 Coventry Road Sheldon.

Attn

With due respect, I write to inquire from you, if you sent somebody from Switzerland Mr. Schemrlt Ormar and some London representatives Mrs. Lizzy Rooney, Mr. Phillip Baker to make claim on your approved funds of USD6.4M.

recently we received a directive from the office of the British Prime Minister, ordering this bank to settle all genuine payment which include contractors, Inheritance and Lottery Winners, whose debts has been outstanding for a long time now, Meanwhile at about 9:A.M, British time today, Mr. Schemrlt Ormar was at the Bank saying that you sent them to make claim on your behalf. At that point I instructed for the release of the funds to them as they presented some vital documents covering the funds such as: Irrevocable approval order with Release Code: HSBC/BMF/GNC/3830/02/00-07, International Remittance Receipt Number; Hsbcbank5685Px, Reference No.-35460021, Allocation No: 674632, Pin Code No: 55674 and your Certificate of Merit Payment No: 103, Telex confirmation No: -1114433 As confirmed by our KTT unit;

On verifying the documents they presented we discovered that the bank details they presented was totally different and the beneficiary of the account they brought was Changori & Sanayi that made us to suspect them, this is a very serious matter in the Bank because of the mandate we have to release this funds to you.

We have requested them to forward a Power of attorney from you, informing the bank of the sudden change of account itinerary, this they could not produce immediately. I have asked them to come back in three working days to enable me communicate with you as regards verifying how genuine these people are to you, although they promised to produce the power of attorney on their next visit to the bank.

I consider this a top priority by contacting you and to ascertain the true position of things in order to avoid remitting these funds to a wrong account.

Find below the account details they presented for your confirmation/perusal.

Bank Name: CITY BANK-NEW YORK
SWIFT: CIBANK.TRIX
FINAL CREDIT TO: OZGE ORME TEKSTIL
CHANGORI & SANAYI VE TIC. LTD. STI
ACCOUNT NO: 814-1013-037

Your swift response will be highly recognize and will determine if we are to take legal action against them, but if they are from you, we will appreciate your corporation by given them the power of attorney to that effect.

reply to this email: mrthomascraw2010@w.cn

Thank you, as we anticipate your corporation.

Get back to us immediately

Yours Faithfully

Mr. Thomas Crawford
Deputy General Manager, Management Information System

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