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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 <noreply@un.org>
Reply-To: jimovia147@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:12:05 +0700
Subject: Final Notice From United Nations



UNITED NATIONS/ WORLD BANK COMPENSATION UNIT
Attention: Beneficiary

How are you today? Hope all is well with you and 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 then secretary to the UNITED NATION. This email is to all the people that have been scammed in any part of the world, the UNITED NATIONS IN Affiliation with WORLD BANK have agreed to compensate them depending on how much you were scammed.


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 problems etc. We found your name in our list and that is why we are contacting you,this have been agreed upon and have been signed.


You are advised to contact Mr Jim Ovia of our paying center in Africa,as he is our representative in Nigeria, contact him immediately for your Cheque/ International Bank Draft. This funds are in a Bank Draft for security purpose,so he will send it to you and you can clear it in any bank of your choice.

Therefore,you should send him your full Name and telephone number your correct mailing address where you want him to send the Draft to you and details of how you where scamed and how much involved with copy of your identification.


Person to Contact: Mr Jim Ovia
Email: jimovia147@gmail.com



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.




Official portrait of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Click photo to enlarge.













Regards,
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.

Anti-fraud resources: