419 scam: UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL <ericdraven6130@yahoo.com> UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES

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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
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.

Fraud email example:

From: UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL <ericdraven6130@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: brittahlenius_m@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2010 02:30:34 -0800 (PST)
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,
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF
INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES
INTERNAL AUDIT, MONITORING, CONSULTING AND
INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION

(ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY:)

THIS
THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT I CAME TO BENIN REPUBLIC YESTERDAY FROM NEW YORK,
AFTER SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH US PRESIDENT BARRACK OBAMA, WORLD BANK PRESIDENT
ROBERT B. ZOELLICK AND THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL BAN KI-MOON DUE TO NUMEROUS
COMPLAINS FROM THE FBI AND OTHER SECURITY AGENCIES FROM ASIA, EUROPE, OCEANIA,
ANTARCTICA,SOUTH AMERICA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA RESPECTIVELY, AGAINST
THE BENIN GOVERNMENT OVER THE R ATE OF SCAM/FRAUDULENT ACTIVITIES GOING ON IN
HER COUNTRY.

I
HAVE MET WITH THE BENIN NEWLY INSTALLED PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN
DR YAYI BONII WHO CLAIMED IGNORANT OF THE EVIL PAPERATED IN HIS COUNTRY BUT
PROMISED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL FUND BENEFICIARIES/ CONTRACTORS RECEIVE THEIR
FUNDS IN THEIR ACCOUNTS WITHIN NEXT 48HRS. RIGHT NOW, AS DIRECTED IN THE
MEETING, WE HAVE APPROVED A COMPENSATION/PART- PAYMENT OF $2.5M TO ALL AFFECTED
BENEFICIARIES WHICH YOU ARE AMONG. ACCORDINGLY, WE HAVE WAIVED AWAY ALL YOUR
CLEARANCE FEES AND AUTHORIZED THE GOVERNMENT OF BENIN REPUBLIC TO RELEASE THIS
APPROVED FUND TO YOU WITHOUT ANY DELAY TODAY. THE ONLY FEE YOU WILL PAY TO
CONFIRM YOUR FUND IN YOUR POSSESSION IS YOUR NOTARIZATION FEE TO THE UN IS SUM
OF $158.00 ONLY.

SO BE
ADVICE TO CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY YOU GET THIS EMAIL NOW BECAUSE EVERY THING HAS
BEEN DONE OK.AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONCE AGAIN NOTE: THAT THIS IS NOT ONE OF
THOSE NIGERIAN / BENIN AFRICAN SCAMS THAT ALL THEY ARE AFTER IS TO RIPE YOU OFF
YOUR MONEY AND AT THE END YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS, BUT NOTE THAT THIS IS
NO SCAM AND IS DIRECTLY FROM OUR PRESIDENT BARRACKS OBAMA.

ONCE
YOU SEND THE MONEY, TRY TO NOTIFY ME WITH THE MTCN FOR EASY PICK UP AND FOR
IMMEDIATE ACTION ON THE RELEASE OF YOUR FUNDS,FOR EASIER RECEIVE OF YOUR
INHERITED FUNDS WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY. SINCE YOU WAS UNABLE TO RECEIVE YOUR
PAYMENT OF $10.000 MTCN THROUGH WESTERN UNION DUE TO THEIR MANAGEMENT FOR FULL
COMPENSATION PAYMENT OF $2.500.000.00USD

PAYMENT INFORMATION OFFICE,
RECEIVERS NAME:JOSEPH UDEZUO
COUNTRY: BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY
: COTONOU
TEST
QUESTION: TRUST
ANSWER: BELIVE
AMOUNT: $158.00 ONLY

I
HAVE A VERY LIMITED TIME TO STAY IN BENIN REPUBLIC HERE SO I WOULD LIKE YOU TO
URGENTLY RESPOND TO THIS MESSAGE FOR MORE DIRECTIVES. FOR ORAL DISCUSSION, AND
MAKE SURE THAT YOU RECONFIRM YOUR FULL DELIVERY INFORMATION AND AND SEND IT TO
US WITH THE PAYMENT INFORMATION FOR THE £158.00? WE ARE WAITING TO RECEIVE IT
FROM YOU.

SINCERELY YOURS,
MRS.
INGA-BRITT AHLENIUS,
UNITED NATIONS UNDER-SECRETARY
GENERAL FOR INTERNAL OVERS
SINCERELY YOURS,

Mrs.Inga-Britt Ahlenius
UNITED
NATIONS UNDER-SECRETARY
GENERAL FOR INTERNAL
OVERS

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam