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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: "MICHAEL JOSEPH LEYDEN." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <michaeljosephleyden@inMail24.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Oct 2011 18:28:48 -0700
Subject: CAN I WORK WITH ME ON TRUST.

MICHAEL JOSEPH LEYDEN.
UNITED NATIONS RELIEF FUND DEPARTMENT.
UNITED NATIONS LONDON UK.


Sir/Madam,

My name is MICHAEL JOSEPH LEYDEN of the UNITED NATIONS RELIEF FUND DEPARTMENT(UNRFD).I have not considered this medium to be the best manner to have approached you of this issue being that the internet has been grossly abused over the years.I have decided to take this means seeing that it is the fastest way to reach on you.


The UNITED NATION has since embarked on a fund relief programme to Families/victims of War,Flood,Draught,Bomb Blast,Hurricain, Earth Quake,Hunger,Disease,Malnutrition,Displacement,Conflict,etc,who may have lost,lives,properties and their hard earned Money,as a result of the above mentioned.This is in an effort to assist the families/victims come back to life and as part of UN Fight to protect human rights all over the world.


In carrying out Payments on this relief Fund excercise,we were instructed by the UN to pay affected victims/families the sum of USD$1.500.000.00.(One Million,Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only).This Excercise has been on for the past years now,with much of the payment to the TSUNAMI Disaster.Recently, we have been instructed to carry out the Relief Fund excercise round the world.It is on this note that I have contacted you to work with me so that the sum of USD$1.5Million will be approved and released to you on trust as one of the victims for me and you to share,if only you can give me your word that you will not betray my effort after the fund must have released to you.I will perfect all the paper works and release documents as well as prepare a note on the disaster on your behalf.


If you are ready to work with me on this,kindly as a matter of urgency get back to me with your full details as follows,your full names,address,age,occupation,sex,telephone numbers and any of your ID's(either drivers licence or international passport)so that I will use is to file for the claim in which the payment will be approved and paid to you through our Accredited payment centres or Banks.


I look forward to your urgent response as we have started compiling the list of victims that will benefit for the last quater of the year 2011 which your name will be included as one of the beneficiaries,while advising that you should keep every inch of our communication highly confidential.Be informed that your presence is not needed for the approval as your name will be included among the list received from variouse countries.This is risk free and 100% real.


Regards,

MICHAEL JOSEPH LEYDEN.



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