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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: "Engineer Timothy Brown" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrtimothybrown5@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Fri, 7 May 2010 13:50:40 +0100
Subject: Letter From: Engineer Timothy Brown.

From: Engineer Timothy Brown

To: My good friend,

SUBJECT: Your Lottery / Inheritance Payment

My name is Engineer Timothy Brown; I am a US citizen from Washington DC. I am a
next of kin to an inheritance from Nigeria in the year 2008 and up till three
months ago, I fought to receive my due inheritance payment without success. I
did not know that all these months of my struggle, I was been swindled and
mishandled by corrupt government officials claiming to help me actualize my
goal not knowing they were only enriching their pockets with my hard earned
money that I sent to Nigeria for one reason or the other.

Not until I was directed to the United Nations zonal office in London by a US
senator in the US three month ago.. He directed me to contact the zonal
representative of the United Nations in London and I did contact him for
assistance and advice on what to do to receive my due inheritance payment into
my bank account. It was this good and God fearing man you with his contact
details.

When you contact him, give him an elaborate detail of your problem
e.g..Lottery, Contract or Inheritance even Investment and he is going to advice
you on what to do and how to go about it. Find his contact details below and
contact him at once, man is God to man, I have realized this fact. Feel free to
ask the man any question; he?s going to be your eyes to see for you..

Contact: Ambassador Nelson Clark
UN Zonal Office London
Tel: 44 709 284 7074
E-Mail: un_nationsofficeuk@mail2world.com

Lastly, least I forget, the united nations office in London supplied me
withyour contact details that I should give you the good news that they are
doing all within their power to clean the system.

Regards,
Engineer Timothy Brown.
Tim Brown Electric Inc.
Private Company, Headquarters Location
3088 Winkle Ave. Ste. B, Santa Cruz, CA, United States
Primary SIC: Electrical Work, Primary NAICS: Electrical Contractors
Description: Construction: Electrical contractor

Anti-fraud resources: