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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: "UNITED NATIONS & WORLD BANK PROJECT" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unn.org@katamail.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:38:41 +0100
Subject: COMPENSATION PAYMENT SCHEME

UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION
DEPARTMENT FOR ALLOCATION
PLOT 34 WARF ROAD H300ZK
LONDON- ENGLAND
 
 
ATTENTION
 
WE WISH TO NOTIFY YOU THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED A CREDIT DIRECTIVES FROM OUR CORRESPONDING BANK HERE IN LONDON ENGLAND, CITIGROUP TO PAY YOU YOUR INHERITANCE/CONTRACT INTEREST FUND WORTH $8.3M.
 
THE WORLDBANK BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS CONCLUDED TO EFFECT YOUR PAYMENT, REGARDS TO THE ENDORSMENT OF YOUR PAYMENT CERTIFICATE RECEIVED FROM THE CitiGroup, YOU ARE ADVISED TO CONTACT THIS BANK WITH YOUR FULL INFORMATION TO ENABLE US CROSS CHECK WITH THE INFORMATION SENT TO US FROM OUR CORRESPONDING BANK CITIGROUP, TO CONFIRM IF YOU ARE THE AUTHORIZED BENEFICIARY OF THE FUND. WITH THE ONE FORWARDED TO US BY THE CITIGROUP.
 
 
1) YOUR FULL NAMES...
2) YOUR ADDRESS
3) YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER...
4) YOUR FORM OF IDENTIFICATION...
5) YOUR OCCUPATION AND AGE...
 
 
UPON THE RECEIPT OF YOUR URGENT RESPOND, THE CITIBANK PLC WILL PROCEED FOR IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF YOUR FUND AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE THE REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR PROPER CONFIRMATION OF YOUR PAYMENT.
PLEASE KINDLY CONTACT THIS OFFICE VIA E-MAIL ADDRESS: unn.org@katamail.com
YOURS TRULY,
 
SIR MATHEW ROSE
ADMINISTRATIVE
UNITED NATIONS
 

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