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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: "Dr. Nathaniel Maxwell" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <markinfo354@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11.17.40 +0100
Subject: Attention: Beneficiary,

Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/XX028 UNITED NATIONS.
(WORLD BANK ASSISTED PROGRAMME)
DIRECTORATE OF INTERNATIONAL
PAYMENT AND TRANSFERS.
870 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA 20-A NEW YORK NY 10017
WIRE TRANSFER/AUDIT UNIT
 
Attention: Honorable Beneficiary,
 
IRREVOCABLE PAYMENT ORDER VIA ATM CARD
 
This is to officially inform you that we have verified your contract inheritance file presently on my desk, and I found out that you have not received your payment due to your lack of co-operation and not fulfilling the obligations giving to you in respect to your contract /inheritance payment.
 
We have actually been authorized by the newly appointed united nation secretary general, and the governing body of the UNITED NATIONS monetary unit, to investigate the unnecessary delay on your payment, recommended and approved in your favor. During the course of our investigation, we discovered with dismay that your payment has been unnecessarily Delayed by corrupt officials of the Bank who are Trying to divert your funds into their private accounts and We are aware that you have not been able to receive your Inheritance/Contact awarded paymentTo forestall this, security for your funds was organized in the form of your personal Identification number (PIN) ATM CARD and this will enable only you to have direct Control over your funds in the ATM CARD. We will monitor this payment ourselves to avoid the hopeless situation created by the Officials of the bank.
 
An irrevocable payment guarantee has been issued by the Presidency, Federal Republic of Nigeria on your Payment. However, we are happy to inform you that based on our recommendation/instructions, your complete contract funds has bee credited in your favor through ATM CARD. You are therefore advice to contact:
 
REV. DR. MARK OZO,
Director ATM Payment Department,
EMAIL ADDRESS:  markinfo354@yahoo.com.hk
Direct Telephone lines: +234-8081748007
 
Contact him now for the delivery of your ATM card. As soon as you establish a contact with him, an ATM card will be issued to you immediately that you can use to withdraw your funds in any ATM machine in any part of the world, but the maximum is Twenty Five Thousand dollars per day. So if you like to receive your funds through this means you're advised to contact the ATM card payment center
 
with the following information as stated below:
 
1.  YOUR FULL NAME.
2.  PHONES AND FAX NUMBER,
3.  ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND YOUR ATM CARD
TO  (P.O BOX NOT ACCEPTABLE)
4.  YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
as soon as you send the  information to  REV. DR. MARK OZO he will send to you the attached of your ATM CARD for you to veiw it.
 
NOTE: YOU ARE ADVICES TO FURNISH REV. DR. MARK OZO WITH YOUR CORRECT AND VALID DETAILS. ALSO BE INFORMED THAT THE AMOUNT TO BE PAID YOU NOW IS  $800,000.00 (eight hundred thousand United States dollars).
 
We expect your urgent response to this email to enable us monitor this payment effectively thereby making contact with REV. DR. MARK OZO as directed to avoid further delay.
 
CONGRATULATIONS.
 
Dr. Nathaniel Maxwell
 
Cc: Senate President
Cc: Board of Directors [Fpd] 
UN Envoy (Afrian Region and USA)

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