419 scam: "United Nation Office" <officecontact@pravda.ru> Hi, Good morning

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
- "united-paycenter@live.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +22997496332 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "United Nation Office" <officecontact@pravda.ru>
Reply-To: united-paycenter@live.com
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2011 16:16:10 -0400
Subject: Hi, Good morning

(UNITED NATIONS(WORLD BANK ASSISTED PROGRAMME)
DIRECTORATE OF INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT AND TRANSFERS.
870 UNITED NATIONS B PLAZA 20-A NEW YORK NY 10017
WIRE TRANSFER/AUDIT UNIT
Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/XX02011

Good day,

RE: IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT

We have actually been authorized by the presidency,Federal Republic of Benin
and the Governing board Central bank of Republic to investigate the
unnecessary delay of your payment, recommended and approve your claims for
payment if certified as genuine.

During the course of our investigation, we discovered with dismay that your
payment has been unnecessarily delayed by corrupt officials of the Bank who
are trying to divert your money into their private accounts, to forestall
this,security for your funds was organized in the form of your personal
identification number (PIN) and your transfer access code (T.A.C), This will
enable only you have direct control over this USD$5.500,000.00, we have also
agreed with the presidency that we will handle this payment ourselves to avoid
the hopeless situation created by the officials of the Central bank of Benin
We obtained an irrevocable payment guarantee on your payment from the
presidency we are happy to inform you that based on our recommendation,
instructions. Your entire Inheritance/Contract fund has been credited in your
favour through our overseas paying Bank.

You are therefore advised to contact, Barrister Akeem Moses, International
Audit unit, United Nations Liaison Office Federal Republic of Benin on,

Contact person: Barrister Akeem Moses,
Telephone: +229-97 496 332
Email: united-paycenter@live.com

to collect your original payment slip with your pin and transfer access code,
As soon as you submit these codes and your payment slip to your bank they will
credit your account without delay. Note you are advised to furnish Barrister
Akeem Moses the details listed below to avoid transfer of this $5.500,000.00
to a wrong person.

1) Your full name;................
2) Home Phone:.................Fax:............. and Mobile number;..............
3) Company name:........... Position:............... and
address:...............
4) Profession:.............., Age:...............and marital
status:...................

Be noted to you that the above information will enable him get your original
payment slip and identification number (PIN) and also your transfer access
code (TAC) As soon as this information is received.

We expect your urgent response to this email to enable us monitor this
payment effectively.

MR AMIR DOSSAL

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam