An advance-fee scam is a type of fraud and one of the most common types of confidence trick. The scam typically involves promising the victim a significant share of a large sum of money, in return for a small up-front payment, which the fraudster requires in order to obtain the large sum. If a victim makes the payment, the fraudster either invents a series of further fees for the victim, or simply disappears. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_scam)

FROM THE DESK OF LORD ADAIR TURNER,
Chairman, Financial Services Authority (FSA), Direct Telephone:(44)7031952253

ATTEN: BENEFICIARY

Previously I have sent this notification which you are yet to respond. With reference to the recall of your funds, it has come to our notice via our central monitoring computer that a huge fund has been credited in your name for transfer with a London Bank. Under the stipulated enabling Law of the Government of Great Britain and Wales and other Commonwealth States, any huge fund that has been found in our computer system waiting to be transferred without claims for a period of 6 months or less, shall be confiscated and forfeited to the Government of Great Britain and Wales.

We do hereby ask you to contact this office immediately for ratification within 3 days of this notice or consider your fund confiscated.

We appreciate your urgent co-operation.

LORD ADAIR TURNER, CHAIRMAN,
FINANCIAL SERVICES AUTHORITY (FSA).
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

phil@sttims.org.uk

Estimates of the total losses due to the scam are uncertain and vary widely, since many people may be too embarrassed to admit that they were gullible enough to be scammed to report the crime. A United States government report in 2006 indicated that Americans lost $198.4 million to Internet fraud in 2006, averaging a loss of $5,100 per incident. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_scam#Consequences)