419 scam: "UNITED NATIONS"<steven@hwalong.com> Attn: Fund Beneficiary (reminder)

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "clearance fee" (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. )
- "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "fund beneficiary" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "economic and financial crime 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. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- mary_hagaan@rediffmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "UNITED NATIONS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mary_hagaan@rediffmail.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2010 23:51:58 -0700
Subject: Attn: Fund Beneficiary (reminder)

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES
Internal Audit, Monitoring,Consulting And Investigations Division.
& THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL FUND MONITORING

Attn: Fund Beneficiary

This is to inform you that I arrived New York,United States of America from London today, since last week i flew to Nigeria after series of complains 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 for the rate of scam activities going on in these two nations.

I have met with David Cameron of Britain and President Dr Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria who claimed that they have been trying their 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 British Securities in which they have decided to waive away all your clearance fees/Charges and authorize us to effect the payment of your compensation of an amount of (US$ 1,000, 000: 00)ONE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS 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 is your Notarization fee 0f just $50 USD ONLY to the UN Office in United States.

note that if you are not ready to pay this only fee simply write a rejection letter stating that you will not be able to come with the Notarization fee so that we can confortable delete your name from the list of foreign fund compersation.

Sincerely, you are a lucky person because you are the number two person in our list of 20 persons.

I have a very limited time to stay in States 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 within the next 72 hours in your account.

Email: mary_hagaan@rediffmail.com

Sincerely yours,
Mrs Mary Hagan
United Nations Under-Secretary-
General for Internal Oversight

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam