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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: <orcarreyes02@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2011 04:55:53 -0700
Subject:

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES Internal Audit,Monitoring,Consulting And Investigations Division Good Day , This is to inform you that I came back from Africa yesterday,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 Ivorian Government, Nigerian Government and the British Government for the rate of scam activities going on in these three nations. I have met with President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, President Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast and the British prime minister David Cameron and they claimed that they have been trying their best to make sure people received their outstanding payments without any complications. 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) in Nigeria, The police economy in the Ivory Co ast and the British secret intelligence in the U.K and have decided to waive away all your clearance fees/Charges and authorise the Government to effect the payment of your compensation of an amount of Four (4) Million United State 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 in your account is waver clerance certificates to the United Nations authorized payment institution. I would like you to urgently respond to this message so that I can advise you on how best to confirm your fund in your account within the next 72 hours. Sincerely yours, Mr. Oscar Reyes

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