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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Royal Bank of Scotland" (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2017 23:50:07 -0000
Subject: RE:Looking forward to your positive response

Dear good friend,

How are you today and your family? I hope all are in good condition. I am Sir Sandy Crombie, working as the Executive Director of the Audit Department of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) here in London, England United Kingdom. I am writing you about a business proposal that will be of immense and mutual benefit for both of us.

It might interest you to know that in my department as head of the audit department of the group, I discovered an abandoned sum of 16,500,000.00 (Sixteen million five hundred thousand greatest British pounds sterling) in an account that belongs to one of our late foreign customer Mrs. Surti Dahlia. I seek your consent to present you with a bank as the closest relatives of the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at 16.5 million GBP can be paid to you and this Agreement will be distributed in the following proportion: 55% to me and 45% for you .

Please on your confirmation of this message and indicating your interest, I will furnish you with more information.

Endeavour to let me know your decision rather than keeping me waiting.

Thanking you in anticipation for your favourable and positive reply.

Regards

Sir. Sandy Crombie
Executive Director Audit Committee
Royal Bank of Scotland
London

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NOTICE: This e-mail may contain material that is confidential, privileged and for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, reliance or distribution by others or forwarding without express permission is strictly prohibited by Royal Bank of Scotland. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender and delete all copies.

Anti-fraud resources: