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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: "Mrs. Inga-Britt Ahlenius" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unitedwestand009@gala.net>
Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2008 19:34:31 -0800
Subject: UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES
Internal Audit, Monitoring, Consulting And Investigations Division.
 
From: Mrs. Inga-Britt Ahlenius.
 
To: Fund Beneficiary,
This is to inform you that I came to Nigeria yesterday from New York, after series of complain from the FBI and other Security agencies from Asia, Europe, Oceania, Antarctica, South America and the United States of America respectively, against the Federal Government of Nigeria and the British Government over the rate of scam activities going on in these two nations.
 
I have met with Acting president Dr Good Luck Jonathan of Nigeria who claimed that he has been trying his best to make sure you receive your fund in your account. Right now, as directed by our secretary general Mr.Ban Ki-Moon, We are working in collaborations with the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and have decided to waive away all your clearance fees/Charges and authorize the Government of Nigeria to effect the payment of your compensation of an amount of $10M approved by both the British government and the UN into your account without any delay. The only fee you will pay to confirm your fund in your account is your Notarization fee to the UN.
 
Sincerely, you are a lucky person because I have just discovered that some top Nigerian and British Government Officials are interested in your fund and they are working in collaboration with One Mr. Richard Graves from USA to frustrate you and thereafter divert your fund into their personal account. I have a very limited time to stay in Nigeria here so I would like you to urgently respond to this message so that I can advise you on how best to confirm your fund in your account within the next 72 hours.
 
For oral discussion, call me on this number which I just acquired in Nigeria today:(+234-8037674163) or you can email me with my private email (unitedwestand009@gala.net)
Sincerely yours,
Mrs. Inga-Britt Ahlenius.

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