Advance Fee Fraud
Scammers promise a large payout, inheritance, contract transfer, or released funds, then demand fees, bank details, or identity documents before the money can be received.
Below are real, recent examples from our archive. Use the filters to narrow by channel or search within this category.
Tip: If you didn’t expect a refund, invoice, or prize — pause and verify using a trusted website or phone number, not the link you received. See common red flags.
Advance-Fee Loan Release Scam
You’re told that a loan, payout, or “approved payment” is ready and will be sent to your bank “immediately” — but first you must pay a smaller fee (often called a release, processing, clearance, or compliance fee). Once you pay, the scammers either ask for more money because of “new problems,” or they disappear. No money is ever released.
Inheritance, Compensation, and Prize Payout Scam Emails
Unsolicited emails or letters claim you are due a large inheritance, compensation payment, recovered funds, or prize. The message may impersonate a bank or an official-sounding organization, use a reference number to appear real, and ask for your bank account details to “process the payout.” After you reply, scammers often ask for upfront fees (tax, transfer, or clearance charges) or try to use your information for fraud.
Over-Invoiced Contract Funds Transfer Scam
You receive an unsolicited message claiming that a large amount of money is sitting in a bank because of an over-invoiced or over-estimated contract. The sender says they are an attorney, banker, or company insider who needs your help to move the funds and promises you a share. If you respond, the story usually escalates into requests for fees, identity documents, bank details, or your help receiving and forwarding money.
Scam Recovery Fee Scam
People who have already lost money to a scam are offered help getting it back. A website, message or caller claims to be an investigator, a law firm, an agency or a recovery service, asks for details of the scam and how much was lost, and then asks for an upfront fee before any recovery can start. The fee is the scam. Nothing is recovered, and the details collected can be used to target the person again.
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