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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: "Paul Wilson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <alvine044@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2014 03:22:29 +0530
Subject: RE-IMMEDIATE PAYMENT NOTIFICATION BENEFICIARY

Our Ref: UN/OHG/OXD1/2013
Your Ref:..............................
PAYMENT FILE: UN/EU/DSF/PED/XX01/13.
Attn: Beneficiary
SUBJECT: RE-IMMEDIATE PAYMENT NOTIFICATION BENEFICIARY
Definitely, I know that this letter will be a surprising one to you.
Firstly, I would like to introduce myself as Mr. Paul Wilson the EU
Protocol Officer for External Private Relations United Nations Association
(UNA-UK) in conjunction with European Union Diplomatic Storage Facility
London Regional Office. You are been officially contacted by me today
because during our last auditing, I came across a group of listed
Beneficiaries, whose payment are been delayed by the banks and other
Government agents due to one reason or the other. Further to my appraisal,
which made me discover that your name was listed and your status has been
marked pending for a long time, which had given me thought about
contacting you due to your payment funds were recently Re-deposited in the
Saudi Arabia Britsh Bank SABB here in London.
Well known to all, The European Union Diplomatic Storage Facility is the
mother bank of all diplomatic agency in Europe and World in general.
Really these men were unexpected by me because their visit was imprompt.
I had to ask them why they came to see us in person and they said that
they were here to collect your funds consignment valued US$740,000
(Selven hundred and fourty Thousand United States Dollars) which
rightfully belongs to you, on your behalf. At this development, I asked
them who authorized them to come down to London for the collection of this
payment and they told me that you asked them to come and collect this
funds on your behalf.
In fact, this was the biggest shock that this office have ever received so
far because your funds is deposited here as personal belongings and yet
you sent these men to come and collect this funds on your behalf without
notifying us. We in this office do not understand why you sent these men
to come and collect your funds on your behalf. You really let us down
because the present EU Legislator are the pillar of our set up here and if
actually you want them to help you collect your payment valued, at least
you should have informed me as the Protocol Officer of this office.
Honestly, it really baffles me that you took such decision without my
consent. I told them to come back and they promised to come back. As the
Protocol Officer of this noble office, I was supposed to release this
funds  to them but I refused to do so because I wanted to hear from you
first. Due to the nature of my job, I will not want to make any mistake in
releasing this fund to anyone except you whom is !the recognized bonefide
beneficiary
Though you could still be promised heaven and earth by the so called
officials, whom I have discovered are not ready to help you get paid, but
frustrate your efforts, which in the end will make you loose hope of ever
getting paid if they have not succeeded already.Most importantly, you
should treat this communication with top confidentiality.  For the sake of
my job security, I deem it pertinent to reinstate that you desist from
further contacts with whoever has been handling this transaction on your
behalf in the past, as I have been able to sift that it was their
inordinate ambition to divert your fund to another account that has put
your file to this problem.
As a matter of urgency, you are required to re-confirm to me immediately
the follow information’s; Your Full Name, Complete Physical Address,
Receiving Bank Account Details, Telephone Number and Copy of your
Identification such as Int'l Passport Copy or Driving license for onward
transfer in your favor without any hesitation. In receipt of this
confidential letter, you are also required to Email: alvine044@gmail.com
with the above mentioned information as soon as you receive this message.
Anticipating your prompt response and thanks for your understanding.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr. Paul Wilson
Protocol Officer for External Private Relations
Office of United Nations Association (UNA-UK)/European Union D.S.F
International Fund Reconciliation Settlement
London, United Kingdom

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