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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: "PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL INITIATIVE (PSI)" <info@un.com>
Reply-To: undipsmithjames101@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 15 May 2012 07:31:55 -0600
Subject: Your Recovered Funds.

ATTENTION:

How are you doing?

This is the United Nations Diplomat Mr. Smith James from the PRESIDENTIAL
SPECIAL INITIATIVE (PSI). I am from Ghana to dispose all consignment boxes
which are in the custody of the presidential special initiative here at the
Airport.

Subsequent to a bipartite meeting held on the 13th of November, 2011 at the
African Union held in South Africa, it was unanimously agreed that a
committee be put in place to ensure the release of the recovered
consignments, under the PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL INITIATIVE(PSI) storage house.
This is because of several petitions from INDIVIDUALS, CO-OPERATE BODIES AND
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES on the failure to receive their various goods from
their airport warehouse.

Presently, your two consignment boxes worth Four Million United States Dollar
(US$4,000,000) are among those to be dispose and delivered to you, and that
is the reason why I mailed you to discuss with you regarding the delivery.

However, I will not fail to inform you that this committee is set-up, to
assist and bring smiles to faces of foreign investors and businesspersons,
who have encountered disappointments over their various businesses over the
years. As a result of this, the president and his executive members decided
to set up these very committee after his visit to New-York for the UN General
Assembly, these dies-congestion exercise under the PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL
INITIATIVES(PSI) is to liaise with any foreign beneficiaries or businessmen
to lay hands on their respective goods and consignments.

So, I will like you to forward to me a copy of your international passport or
driving license for identification, full name, phone/fax number and delivery
address so to enable me proceed to get the two consignment boxes cleared. In
addition, I will give you a call immediately I am through with the clearance
so as to enable me commence on the delivery of your consignment boxes to you
immediately.

Regards,
Mr. Smith James.
United Nations Diplomat.

Anti-fraud resources: