419 scam: "Bank OF England"<chateaudulac@earthlink.net> ATTENTION

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- ",500,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- vicentwilson@mail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Bank OF England" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <vicentwilson@mail.com>
Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2010 18:22:40 +0800
Subject: ATTENTION

FROM MR. Vicent Wilson
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING UNIT
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT
Bank OF England.
PRIVATE EMAIL: vicentwilson@mail.com
29TH october. 2010

Greetings Dear Friend,

I am Mr.Vicent Wilson, an Auditing /Accounting Officer Bank of England, I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you, during my audit exercise in my department early today for the year records, I discovered an abandoned sum of Fifteen million Five hundred thousand United States (US$15,500,000.00) in an account that belongs to our late customer, a German Estate Tycoon (Christian G. Eich) who died along with his wife and entire family on 25th July 2000, Air France Concorde flight 4590 plane crash. Before his death, he made a numbered time (Fixed) deposit for twenty four calendar months valued at Fifteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars only(US$15,500,000.00) in my branch upon maturity.

I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply, finally we discovered from his contract employers the Elton Oil that Christian G. Eich died on Air France Concorde flight 4590 plane crash. On further investigation, I found out that he died without making "WILL" and all attempts to trace his next of kin were fruitless.

I therefore made further investigation and discovered that he did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents, including his bank deposit paperwork in my bank. This sum of US$15,500,000.00 is still sitting in my bank with the principal sum without claims. According to Britain Law, at the expiration of few months ahead, the money will be reverted to the ownership of the Britain Government if nobody applies to claim the deposited funds. Consequently, my proposal is that I will like to present you as the next of kin to Christian G. Eich.

This transaction is very simple and 100% risk free,in as much as I will present you to our bank officially for this claims. Therefore, I will like you to provide immediately your full Name,Confidential Email Address and Direct Contact Number so that I will issue you all the necessary documents, including the deposite certificate which will put you in place as the beneficiary to the funds. We shall sign an agreement of oath upon your response to this email.

A bank account in any part of the world, which you will provide will then facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary or next of kin. You can send an empty account to receive the funds, provided that the account is capable to receive incoming funds.The money will be paid into your Account for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you .I advise you to keep this as a "Top Secret" as I am still in service and intend to retire from service after I conclude this deal with you. I hope to hear from you as soon as possible for further information. Do not fail to write me directly on my confidential email address as stated above.

Cordially yours,

Mr. Vicent Wilson
Auditing and Accounting Officer,
Bank OF England.

NB:To read more about Christian G.Eich, visit this site:
Http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam