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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: "Ms Valerie Amos." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <valeriaamos@blumail.org>
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:52:13 -0800
Subject: VERY URGENTUnited Nation Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs,

UNITED NATIONS ASSISTED PROGRAMME
DIRECTORATE OF INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT AND
TRANSFERS. UNITED NATIONS LIAISON OFFICE
LONDON UNITED KINGDOM
WIRE TRANSFER/AUDIT UNIT
 
Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/XX02011
Dear  Sir/Madam?
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 3 months which ended 2 days ago with the UNITED NATIONS BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND AUDITORS with Board of Directors of HSBC Bank,London .
 
This email is to all the people that have been scammed in any part of the world, the UNITED NATIONS have agreed to compensate them with the sum of US$5.500,000,00 each.
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 Rev.Richard Clifford of HSBC Bank London,United Kingdom, as he is our representative, contact him immediately for your (ATM Card) of USD$5.500,000,00.This funds are in a ATM master card for security purpose OK?
So he will send it to you through Courier Services and you can use it in any ATM master card in any part of the country.Therefore, you should send him your full Name and telephone number/your correct mailing address where you want him to send the ATM master card to you.
 
Contact Rev.Richard Clifford immediately for your ATM master card:
Person to : Rev.Richard Clifford.
E-mail(Private): rev.fr_richardcilfford@yahoo.com
 
Thanks and God bless you and your family. Hoping to hear from you as soon as you receive your ATM master card.
 
Making the world a better place,
 
MY BEST REGARDS.
 
 
Ms Valerie Amos.
United Nation Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs,
Emergency Relief Coordinator,
United Kingdom.
 

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