Fraud Alert
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Fraud Alert - 419 Fraud
419 Fraud / Advance fee fraud
SCD6 Economic and Specialist Crime OCU is issuing warnings, as part of a crime prevention initiative against a type of fraud commonly know as 'West African' or '419' advance fee fraud. This section of the Metropolitan Police website will serve as a resource providing warnings and advice to help potential victims protect themselves as well as publishing important legal information.
What to do if...
...You receive a 419 letter or e-mail
Using any source available! Telephone directories, Yellow pages, White pages and Trade directories are the most common methods followed by stolen mailing lists. With the advent of the Internet and the availability of "people finders" on CD, the traditional methods will undoubtedly decline and be superceded by electronic ones.
DO NOT REPLY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES !
If you receive a 419 letter, throw it in the bin where it deserves to be. The fraudsters have not targeted you personally, 1000’s of these letters are sent out daily to people worldwide whose details have been taken at random from telephone directories etc.
If you receive a 419 letter by e-mail, do not reply, again they have not targeted you personally. Cause them some inconvenience by forwarding a copy of the e-mail to the Internet Service Provider from where the e-mail originated in the following format.
For example:-
abuse@hotmail.com
abuse@yahoo
abuse@compuserve.com
Unless your letter/e-mail contains details of the fraudsters bank accounts/addresses/telephone numbers please do not forward them to us. If you live outside the United Kingdom please send your e-mail/letter to your own National Police Unit that deals with Fraud. If there is a London connection they can pass the matter onto Interpol London for action.
If you have already become embroiled in this scam, contact your own police department or your local embassy if you are abroad.
Special Instructions relating to US Citizens.
If you are in the United Kingdom and are the victim or potential victim of such a fraud contact the US Secret Service, US Embassy, London on 020 7408 8091. If you are elsewhere in the World contact the US Embassy relevant to the country you are in or your local Secret Service Office.
See also:
Useful Contacts
Contact Us
If you believe you might be being set up as a target for fraud or if you are an investigator and you think you might be dealing with this type of activity then please contact the SCD6 Economic and Specialist Crime OCU at the address or by e-mail.