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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: United Nations London Office <ulondonoffice@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: unitednationspaymentdept@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 05:57:06 -0800 (PST)
Subject: UNITED NATIONS NEEDS YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: ulondonoffice@yahoo.com



- Attention:Beneficiary How are you today? Hope all is well with you and your family? you may not understand why this mail came to you. We have been having a meeting for the passed 7 months which ended 2days ago with the secretary to the UNITED NATIONS General Ban Ki-Moon. This email is to all the people that have been scammed in any part of the world, the UNITED NATIONS have agreed to compensate them with the sum of $500,000USD. This includes every foreign contractors that may have not received their contract sum, and people that have had an unfinished transaction or international businesses that failed due to Government policy etc. We found your EMAIL ADDRESS in our list and that is why we are contacting you, this has been agreed upon and has been signed.You are advised to contact Mr.Mack Owen,The payment officer incharge contact him immediately for your Cheque or International Bank Draft for your payment of $500,000USD. This fund are in a Bank Draft for security purpose ok, so he will send it to you and you can clear it at any bank of your choice.Therefore, you should send him your full Name, age and telephone number your correct mailing address where you want him to send the Draft to. Please Contact Mr.Mack Owen Email:unitednationspaymentdept@yahoo.co.uk Tel:+447024092706 Tel:+447024033709 Fax:+448703633000 Thanks and God bless you and your family. Hoping to hear from you as soon as you cash your Bank Draft. Making the world a better place. Regards, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. http://www.un.org/sg http://www.uneca.org/disd/news/istd-dna-2007121201-en.asp


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