419 scam: UNITED NATION <bnkse@superposta.com> FROM UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES

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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:

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:
- "clearance fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
- "unitednationservice@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.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: UNITED NATION <bnkse@superposta.com>
Reply-To: unitednationservice@live.com
Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2013 17:58:28 +0800 (CST)
Subject: FROM UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES

UNITED NATIONS
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT
SERVICES
Internal Audit,Monitoring,Consulting And
Investigations
Division

UNITED
NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES

INTERNAL
AUDIT, MONITORING, CONSULTING AND INVESTIGATIONS
DIVISION

MRS.MARY
MOHAMMED
(ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY:)

THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT I CAME TO BENIN
REPUBLIC YESTERDAY FROM NEW
YORK, AFTER SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH US PRESIDENT
BARACK OBAMA, WORLD BANK PRESIDENT ROBERT B. ZOELLICK AND THE UN SECRETARY
GENERAL BAN KI-MOON DUE TO NUMEROUS COMPLAINS FROM THE FBI AND OTHER SECURITY
AGENCIES FROM ASIA,
EUROPE,
OCEANIA,

ANTARCTICA,SOUTH AMERICA AND THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA RESPECTIVELY, AGAINST THE BENIN GOVERNMENT
OVER THE RATE OF SCAM/FRAUDULENT ACTIVITIES GOING ON IN HER COUNTRY.

I HAVE MET WITH THE BENIN NEWLY INSTALLED PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF
BENIN DR YAYI BONII WHO CLAIMED IGNORANT OF THE EVIL
PERPETRATED IN HIS COUNTRY BUT PROMISED TO MAKE SURE THAT
ALL FUND BENEFICIARIES/ CONTRACTORS RECEIVE THEIR FUNDS IN THEIR ACCOUNTS WITHIN
NEXT 48HRS. RIGHT NOW, AS DIRECTED IN THE MEETING, WE HAVE APPROVED A
COMPENSATION/PART- PAYMENT OF $2.5M TO ALL AFFECTED BENEFICIARIES WHICH YOU ARE
AMONG. ACCORDINGLY,

WE HAVE WAIVED AWAY ALL YOUR CLEARANCE FEES AND AUTHORIZED THE
GOVERNMENT OF BENIN REPUBLIC TO RELEASE THIS APPROVED FUND TO YOU WITHOUT ANY
DELAY TODAY. THE ONLY FEE YOU WILL PAY TO CONFIRM YOUR FUND IN YOUR POSSESSION
IS YOUR NOTARIZATION FEE TO THE UN IS SUM OF $49 ONLY.

SO BE ADVICE TO CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY YOU GET THIS EMAIL NOW BECAUSE
EVERY THING HAS BEEN DONE OK.AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONCE AGAIN NOTE: THAT THIS
IS NOT ONE OF THOSE NIGERIAN / BENIN AFRICAN SCAMS THAT ALL THEY ARE AFTER IS TO
RIPE YOU OFF YOUR MONEY AND AT THE END YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS, BUT NOTE
THAT THIS IS NO SCAM AND IS DIRECTLY FROM OUR PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.

ONCE YOU SEND THE MONEY, TRY TO NOTIFY ME WITH THE MTCN FOR EASY PICK
UP AND FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION ON THE RELEASE OF YOUR FUNDS,FOR EASIER RECEIVE OF
YOUR INHERITED FUNDS WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY. SINCE YOU WAS UNABLE TO RECEIVE
YOUR PAYMENT OF $10.000 MTCN THROUGH WESTERN UNION DUE TO THEIR MANAGEMENT FOR
FULL COMPENSATION PAYMENT OF
$2.500.000.00USD

RECEIVERS NAME: ANTHONY
EGWUONWU

COUNTRY: BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY :COTONOU

CODE: 229
TEST QUESTION: TRUST
ANSWER: BELIEVE
AMOUNT: $49
ONLY

I HAVE A VERY LIMITED TIME TO STAY IN BENIN REPUBLIC HERE SO I WOULD
LIKE YOU TO URGENTLY RESPOND TO THIS MESSAGE FOR MORE DIRECTIVES. FOR ORAL
DISCUSSION

SINCERELY YOURS,

MRS.MARY MOHAMMED
UNITED
NATIONS UNDER-SECRETARY
GENERAL FOR INTERNAL
OVERS
EMAIL:(unitednationservice@live.com)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam