419 scam: "GOOD NEWS" <geoff@webshooter.com> British Ministry of Finance Has Released Your Award payment

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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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.
- +447010063045 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
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.
- barclays_bk_plc@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "GOOD NEWS" <geoff@webshooter.com>
Reply-To: <barclays_bk_plc@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Jun 2013 19:27:38 +0530
Subject: British Ministry of Finance Has Released Your Award payment

OFFICE OF THE PERMANENT SECRETARY FOR NON RESIDENTIAL TAXATION ON INTERNATIONAL
LOTTERY AWARD OF THE BRITISH MINISTRY OF FINANCE LONDON UNITED KIGDOM

ADDRESS,
FINANCE HOUSE
KING CHARLES STREET,
LONDON,SW1A
Email: barclays_bk_plc@hotmail.com

OUR REF: BMF/UKG/VOL/0940/012

FROM THE DESK OF THE PERMANENT SECRETARY FOR NON RESIDENTIAL TAXATION ON INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY AWARD
THE GOVERNMENT VISION FOR UK FOREIGN POLICY.
Our priorities Admitted:

ATTENTION!

We the Board of Directors, Members and Committee of the British Ministry of Finance are now aware of your winning prize.
We write to remind you that we receive a report from {THE BANK OF ENGLAND} that you could not get your winning prize (500,000.00 Pounds) right in your country India,
due to your country (Indian) Government strict rules and laws at the Airport and also in the Indian banking system which prompt the {BANK OF ENGLAND} to call back the delivery agent as well as your winning prize to UK.

>From the report they gave to us and after our investigations, we confirmed that you are the real Winner of this amount. (500,000.00 Pounds).
We have also confirmed that until this moment that you have not received your Winning amount.
After our numerous verifications we found out that you could not get your winning amount due to your low co-operation to the
Indian Government Airport Authority as well as the Indian banking system. In regards to the above mentioned problems, we (THE BRITISH MINISTRY OF FINANCE) have decided to release your winning amount directly to your personal bank account without any delay.

LISTEN VERY ATTENTIVELY TO ENABLE YOU RECEIVE YOUR WINNING PRIZE!!!
By the power and authority be store on us we have conveyed your transaction to trusted Bank which will transfer your winning prize;
you are to contact the bank with your personal banking details for them to transfer your winning amount directly to your bank account without any further delay.

Be informed that the only money you will pay to them is (90 Pounds) equivalent to (7,900 Rupees) which is their Service Charge.
The reason why you have to pay the Charge first to them is because there is an instruction place by the (B.M.O.F)
British Ministry of Finance not to deduct any charges from your winning amount for security purposes.

THIS IS DETAILS TO CONTACT (BARCLAYS BANK PLC UK).

Bank Name, (Barclays Bank Plc)
Contact Person:( Dr. Frank More),
General Manager Foreign Transfer,
Bank Email ID: barclays_bk_plc@hotmail.com
Bank Phone Number: +447010063045
Important!
You have to call (Dr. Frank More) The General Manager of Barclays Bank as soon as you receive this mail and furnish them with your details for receiving your prize.

Below is the information you are required to fill and forward to ( BARCLAYS BANK PLC UNITED KINGDOM).
make sure you fill this form before forwarding it to the Bank Management don't send this form to them without filling it, do this immediately and keep the (7,900inr) for the registration of your draft with (RBI) the representative Mr.(Thomas Johnson) will advise you on how to pay the amount.

Your Full Name....................................................
Your Sex..................................................................
Your Address………………………………………
your State………………..........................................
Your Direct Mobile Phone........................................
Occupation................................................................
Date of Birth..............................................................
Your Office/ Home Phone.........................................
Account Holder..............................................................
Bank Name......................................................................
Bank Account No..............................................................
Bank Swift Code...................................................................
Bank Address..........................................................................

While sending the above listed details, Remember to ask BARCLAYS BANK PLC UK on how you will pay their bank required Service Charge of (90 Pounds) equivalent to (7,900 Rupees)
Which is the only money you will pay to them for immediate transfer of your winning amount.
If they ask you for any additional money after you have paid (7,900 Rupees) do report to us and legal action will be taken against them.

We guarantee your transaction with { BARCLAYS BANK PLC UK} Follow our instructions; you will not have any problem.
>From the {OFFICE OF THE PERMANENT SECRETARY} Mr. Austin Benjamin has made a statement following the decision to place on your winning amount.

NOTE:
You will send a copy of this letter back to us after you have filled in the requirement via this E-mail:
and forward a copy to Barclays Bank Plc United Kingdom through their E-mail Address (barclays_bk_plc@hotmail.com)

ACCEPT OUR WARM REGARDS

THE GREAT BRITISH MINISTRY OF FINANCE
barclays_bk_plc@hotmail.com
KING CHARLES STREET,
LONDON,SW1A.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam