People are being warned over a worrying scam that is sweeping the UK. The '419' scam is becoming increasingly common, and is even catching out people who think they're clued up on fraudulent activity.
The scam centres around “419” advance fee fraud. These scams involve a bogus request from a stranger to pay an admin fee to help move money from one country to another in return for a portion of the money. READ MORE:Primark has brought back one of the most nostalgic brands from the 90s and 00s The average lost to these scams is £2,563.
Worryingly, reports of the scam are rising by 61 per cent year on year. The number "419" refers to the section of the Nigerian Criminal Code dealing with fraud and the charges and penalties for such offenders.
The scam has been used with fax and traditional mail and is now prevalent in online communications like emails, reports Birmingham Live.
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