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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 Elvis Trust" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <interpol.elvist23@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 13:04:33 -0200
Subject: INTERPOL CONTACT ON FUNDS IN OUR OFFICE IN LONDON

 
Dear Funds Owner
 
 
 
Let me introduce my self as Mr. Elvis Trust, senior Interpol officer attached to the United Nations High commission and the London Home office, a governmental department dealing with Law, public order and safety, immigration, fire, diplomatic delivery passport, prisons, police among others.
 
The Skye Bank provided us with your full information and email address, we decided to first contact you via your email address for security reasons.
 
Our department investigate a Funds wrapped in brown paper package fully addressed to your name and destination. We found its content to be an international ATM MASTER CARD and documents such as bank statements of account amounting up to Six Million Five Hundred United States Dollars  (US$6,500,000.00) and the UPS airway bill fully addressed to you as the beneficiary.
 
Due to the on going fight against international money laundering and terrorist attack, we decided to hold on to it in order to carry out proper investigations as regards the reason the ATM MASTER CARD was sent to you, especially due to the fact that the parcel wasn’t insured as we did not find any proof of insurance in the parcel, such as the insurance certificate and the anti terrorist certificate which made us to suspect that your parcel did not go through the normal procedure before its departure to your destination in United States Of America.
 
We wanted to know if the ATM CARD is meant for the sponsor of any terrorist activity in USA or an act of money laundering. Investigations revealed that the ATM MASTER CARD was issued to you as a compensation payment. However before we give approval to the Skye Bank to commence with the final sending of your parcel to your destination you must provide us with the insurance certificate and anti terrorist certificate of your parcel. Without the insurance and anti terrorist certificate your parcel will not be released for final delivery to your destination.
 
 
The certificates must be obtained from the sender’s location for security reason. The certificates can be submitted hand to hand by you or sent via express courier delivery to the LONDON HOME OFFICE.
 
Attached to this correspondence is your consignment airway bill and ATM CARD for your view. I have also attached my international passport and the United Nations High Commission stop order.
 
 
 
 
I advise that you call my direct telephone number and re confirm your resident address for more information
 
 
You are advised to respond ASAP
 
Mr. Elvis Trust

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