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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: "World Bank" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dy8206354@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2023 10:49:07 -0700
Subject: Attention Pls --8

Dear Sir,

This message is to notify you that we have taken time to review your
transactions with foreign banks especially in Africa and the United
Kingdom. We want you to know that we have contacted most of these
foreign banks to find out why your funds were withheld and provide a final solution to this problem. Conclusively, we discovered that unpaid funds were not properly documented for an international fund transfer and we cannot let these foreign Banks continue to suspend your payment to your designated bank
account.


Such transfer suspension was placed on your funds because you're a
foreigner and the majority of these international banks officers want
to frustrate you in order to convert the funds to their respective
accounts for their selfish interest.

In joint alliance with the International Monetary Fund to resolve this
issue, we wish to let you know that we have been mandated to assist
you in transferring your funds but only the total sum of Three
Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars
($3,500,000.00USD) was approved for first instalment payment to you

Therefore, we wish to inform you again that we are now making
arrangements to appoint an a bank/agent from our department to process and pay you the approved amount of $3.5m to you immediately you provide the complete requirements needed for the processing and transfer of this payment such as:

Your Full name, residential address,
Direct Telephone Number and Your current Occupation.


Best Regards
Anshula Kant
Group Chief Financial Officer
World Bank

Anti-fraud resources: