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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: "CAPT JAMES WILLIAMS" <williams_james110@bigmir.net>
Reply-To: revrogerh351@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 30 May 2008 14:17:45 +0100
Subject: IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT


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
Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/XX028

ATTN: Beneficiary,

IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT

We have actually been authorized by the newly appointed UN secretary
general,and the governing body of the UNITED NATIONS monetary unit, to
investigate the unnecessary delay of your inheritance fund, recommended and
approved in yourfavor. During the course of our investigation, we discovered
with dismay that yourpayment has been unnecessarily Delayed by corrupt
officials of the Bank who are Trying to divert your money into their private
accounts, to forestall this, security for your funds Was organized in the
form
of your personal Identification number (PIN) ATM CARD this will enable only
you
have direct Control over this fund, we have also agreed with the Presidency
that
we will handle this payment ourselves to avoid the hopeless situation
created by
the Officials of the bank.

We obtained an irrevocable payment guarantee on your Payment from the
presidency we are happy to inform you that based on our
recommendation/instructions; your Entire Inheritances fund has been
credited
in your favour through ATM card. You are therefore adviced you send your
contact to REV ROGER HEDGES International Audit unit, United Nations Liaison
Office London EMAIL:(revrogerh351@gmail.com ) to collect your original
payment
slip with your ATM card.

They will issue you an ATM card that you can use to withdraw money in any
ATM
machine any part of the world, but the maximum is fifteen thousand dollars
per
a day. Therefore if you like to receive your funds through this means kindly
let usknow by contacting the card payment center and also send the
followinginformation as stated below:


1.PHONE AND FAX NUMBER,
2.YOUR FULL NAME
3. ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD
TO (P.O BOX NOT ACCEPTABLE)
4. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
5. Home Equity {YES OR NO}.

NOTE: YOU ARE ADVICED TO FURNISH REV HEDGES WITH YOUR CORRECTCONTACT
DETAILS.AND ALSO BE INFORMED THAT THE AMOUNT TO BE PAID NOW IS $8.3 MILLION
THE RESTWILL BE PAID LATTER.We expect your urgent response to this email to
enable
us monitor this payment effectively.. CONGRATULATIONS.

CAPT JAMES WILLIAMS
UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK

Anti-fraud resources: