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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: "Dr. Patrick J. Lee" <office--1@att.net>
Reply-To: <mrpatrickchanlee@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Tue, 8 Mar 2011 10:14:28 +0800
Subject: UNPAID PAYMENT

From: Dr. Patrick Lee
Director: United Nations
Unpaid Payment Center
Bangkok, Thailand Office
Email: mrpatrickchanlee@yahoo.co.jp
Direct Tel: +(66)853399057
This letter is from United Nations Unpaid Payment Center newly invented by the World Financial Service Authority United States Of America/United Kingdom.
This body was set up to discover an outstanding unpaid fund being owed by Governments, Companies or Individuals all over the world through Contract Payment, Inheritance Payment, Consignment Payment and Lottery Winning Prize Payment, your name appeared among the beneficiaries who will receive a part-payment of USD$2,000.000.00 (Two Million United State Dollars Only) which has been approved yesterday.
It will interest you to know that we have discovered an outstanding unpaid/unclaimed sum of money in favor of your name and a mandate has been given to this body, United Nations Unpaid Payment Center to ensure that this fund gets to you without any delay.
Note that a special payment arrangement has been made with our paying Bank, United Overseas Bank of Thailand/Kasikornbank Pcl Thailand to transfer the said fund directly to your Bank account or alternatively come in person to our office to receive the fund.
You are hereby advised to urgently furnish this office with your detailed information to enable us open up communication with you regarding the release of your fund immediately.
The information required from you to enable us process your payment is as follows.
(1) Your Full Name:
(2) Residential Address:
(3) Phone, Fax and Cell Phone Number:
(4) Profession, Age and Marital Status:
(5) Company/Business Name:
(6) Your Private Email address:
You are advised to contact us immediately with the above requested information for further details.
Thanks.
Yours Truly
Dr. Patrick Lee
Director: United Nations
Unpaid Payment Center, Thailand Office.
Direct Tel: +(66)853399057

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