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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: "Mr. Steve Smith" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrstevesmith01@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:38:23 -0400
Subject: 27/03/2012

UBNL: Interest Payment Notification
From: Head of Audit Department.
REF: BN/DFR/2010/06785

Attention: Beneficiary

RE: UBNL INTEREST PAYMENT NOTIFICATION OF US$1.250MILLION

I am the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR and Head of Credit Control Operations, Union Bank UK Plc, London-England.

Sometime ago United Nation Fund Office (UN) brought your contract/inheritance funds to our bank, after a period of time, the funds were withdrawn back to the United Nation’s Treasury, during the time the funds was deposited in our bank, it generated some interest value atUS$1.250Million, which is about to be paid to you via Debit MasterCard.

In view of above you advice to hasten up and claim the funds, as a matter of fact Bank of England Auditors and United Nation officials do check our files and financial update monthly. The earlier you comply, the faster you received your funds. Because United Nation Officials wants the Accrued Interest paid to them but we refused, if they found out that the Interest Funds still in our bank unclaimed they will want it transfer to the United Nation Treasury.

We therefore request that you urgently reconfirm the following information to enable us proceed with the payment of the accrued interested of US$1.250Miilon attached to your payment file.

(1) Your full name:
(2) Your Residential/postal address:
(3) Email address:
(4) Your Telephone and fax numbers:
(5) Your occupation:
(6) Scan copy of your identification:

Await your response.

Yours Sincerely,

For: the management
Mr. Steve Smith
Head of Operations
Union Bank UK Plc

Anti-fraud resources: