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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" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrslisawu@yahoo.com.cn>
Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2010 22:14:33 +0100
Subject: UNITED NATIONS/WORLD BANK COMPENSATION UNIT.

UNITED NATIONS/WORLD BANK COMPENSATION UNIT.
Our Ref: U.N/WBO/042SWISS/2010.

Attention:

You may not understand why this mail came to you. We have been having a meeting for the past 7 months
which just ended Few days ago with the secretary to the UNITED NATIONS.

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 with the sum of USD 850,000,00.

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 the list of those who are to benefit from these compensation exercise and that is
why we are contacting you, this have been agreed upon and have been signed. You are advised to contact
Mrs LISA WU of our paying center, as she is our representative .contact her immediately for your funds.

This funds are in a Bank Draft for security purpose it can be cleared in any bank of your choice.

Therefore, you are in obligation to send the following informations, Your Full Name, Sex, Age, Occupation,
Nationality, Tel/Fax number and your correct mailing address where you want to receive the draft.

Follow the link for your perusal; http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2003/ik344.doc.htm

Contact: Mrs.Lisa WU for details and directives.
Email: mrslisawu@yahoo.com.cn


I apologize on behalf of my organization for any delay you have encountered in receiving your fund in the
past.

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,
Mary Jones.
For Secretary-General

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