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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: "Ms. Carman L. Lapointe" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <carman.lapointe@myself.com>
Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2013 14:11:24 -0500
Subject: UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES
Internal Audit, Monitoring, Consulting and Investigations Division
From: Ms. Carman L. Lapointe
Utmost Attention Needed.
RE: REMITTANCE ADVISE OF YOUR OVER-DUE FUND WITH THE CBN
I am Ms. Carman L. Lapointe of Canada. I am the appointed Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services (United Nations Switzerland Office). I was in Nigeria on the 02/05/2012 for a debt reconciliation meeting with President Good Luck Jonathan of Nigeria who claimed ignorant of the evils perpetrated in his country but promised to compensate you and other 63 fraud victims. I tried everything possible to make sure you receive your fund before I left Nigeria at that time, but you turned down my offer thinking I was not the real Ms. Carman L. Lapointe or was trying to fool you and extort money from you by trick. We were informed by your Government that the Central Bank of Nigeria had not yet released your over-due sum of US$10,500,000.00. We were also informed that Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi the (CBN GOVERNOR) in collaboration with his evil partners had been extorting thousands of dollars from you by trick and refuses to release your fund to you.
However, I came back to Africa yesterday and found out that your Beneficiary Accredited Transfer File is still untreated the way I left it last time. Now, I am ready to take drastic action just to make sure you receive the fund at this time. I spoke with President Good Luck Jonathan and the Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria today to know the purpose for all these evil acts and delay on your fund but they have no positive excuse than to inform me that you have been communicating with fraudsters and they have warned you severally that; if you don’t stop dealing with those people, they will never release your fund to you. But I made them understand that this shouldn’t be an excuse for not releasing your fund because this Nation is dominated by fraudsters and impostors, so it will be hard for foreigners to differentiate the good from the bad.
I have a very limited time to stay in Africa this period so I would like you to urgently respond to this message so I can advise you on how best to get your fund before I leave. As soon as I receive response from you today; I will send you an inheritance claims form so you can fill and send back then your fund will be released in less than 48hrs.
Note: Those fraudsters have been using my name in swindling most foreign beneficiaries, so you’re hereby instructed not to response to SCAM LETTERS and any EMAIL that does not include Our Ref: {UN-02/A84/UNC} should be treated as SCAM!
Your response on this matter should be directed to my personal Domain @ carman.l@chemist.com. as I will not be accessing my office Domain until I am back to Switzerland.
Sincerely yours,
Ms. Carman L. Lapointe
United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight

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