419 scam: "Mrs.Joy Edward" <adelina.machado@uem.mz> Attention: Scam Victims

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "economic and financial crimes commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2348055344592 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Joy Edward" <adelina.machado@uem.mz>
Reply-To: un.updatedept@discuz.org
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:02:54 +0200
Subject: Attention: Scam Victims

Attention: Scam Victims

This is to bring to your notice that Mr.Ban Ki-moon,Secretary-General from
the United Nations in Collaboration International Monetary Fund West Africa
Regional Payment Office to pay 980 scam victims $250,000,00 USD each to
compensate all scammed victims from any part of the world for self support
depending on the amount lost in the act. This is regarding the draws
organized lately to help individuals whom have lost their earnings in this
act and to build organizations so as to help the less privileged in the
society. You are listed and approved for this payment as one of the scammed
victims to be paid this amount, get back to me as soon as possible for the
immediate payments of your $250,000.00 USD compensations funds. On this
faithful recommendations, I want you to know that during the last U.N.
meetings held at Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, it was alarmed so much
by the world in the meetings on the lost of funds by various individual to
scam artist operating all over the world today.

According to the number of applicants at hand,487 Beneficiaries has been
paid, half of the victims are from the United States, and we still have more
513 left to be paid the compensations of $250, 000, 00 USD each. Your
particulars was mentioned by 1,230 of the Syndicates who was arrested as one
of their victims of the operations, you are hereby warned not to communicate
or duplicate this message to him for any reason what so ever as the
U.S.Secret service and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) is
already on trace of the other criminals. So keep it secret till they are all
apprehended. Other victims who have not been contacted can submit their
application as well for security and possible consideration. Now, how would
you like to receive your payment? By CHEQUE or by ATM card?

Note: We have signed a contract with FedEx Red Star Express Courier Service
which should expire by the end of JANUARY 2010 you will only need to pay $170
for the delivery of your parcel which will be paid to our admin officer.
Everything has been taken care of by his Excellency Mr,Musa
Yar'Adua,including taxes, custom paper and clearance duty,The total amount
for everything is $170, We have tried our possible best to indicate that this
$170 should be deducted from your winning prize but we found out that the
funds have already been written in a Certified Cashier cheque and cannot be
accessed by anyone apart from you,therefore you will be required to pay the
required fee's via Western Union Money Transfer.

UN Admin Pay-Out Officer.
Contact Person: Mr.James Moore
Email: un.updatedept@discuz.org
Telephone: +2348055344592

To effect the release of your funds valued at $250,000,00 US Dollars you are
advised to contact this office and the following information’s: full Name:...
Your Address:.... Home/Cell Phone:... Occupation:... Preferred Payment Method
(ATM/Cashier cheque)...., Scanned copy of either your international passport,
drivers licensed or any form of identification for our perusal, records
update and references.

Upon receipt of payment the delivery officer will ensure that your package is
sent via FedEx Courier Service within 72 working hours. Because we are so
sure of everything, we are giving you a 100% .

Yours sincerely,
Mrs.Joy Edward (announcer)
UN Assigned Verification Senior Agent.
http://www.fbi.gov/libref/directors/directmain.htm

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