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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: "UNITED NATIONS DEBT SETTLEMENT PANEL" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unitednations.oios@live.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2013 04:43:24 -0500
Subject: VERIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF YOUR PAYMENT FILE / REF NO: AUTH PMT-UN/IOD/2013/Q4

UNITED NATIONS
DEBT SETTLEMENT PANEL.
REF NO: AUTH PMT-UN/IOD/2013/Q4
 
 
RE: VERIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF YOUR PAYMENT FILE.
 
         FROM THE RECORDS OF OUTSTANDING FUNDS DUE FOR IMMEDIATE PAYMENT, YOUR NAME/PARTICULARS WAS DISCOVERED AS NEXT ON THE APPROVED LIST. I WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR PAYMENT IS BEING PROCESSED AND FROM THE RECORD IN MY FILE, THE TOTAL SUM OF USD $11,000,000.00, ELEVEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS HAVE BEEN APPROVED ON YOUR BEHALF FOR THIS 2013 FISCAL YEAR. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, WE HAVE ASSIGNED THE BANK OF AMERICA TO HANDLE ALL RELATED TRANSACTIONS TO AVOID FURTHER COMPLAIN FROM BENEFICIARIES ABOUT INCESSANT TAXES, FEES AND LEVIES. KINDLY RE-CONFIRM THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY TO FACILITATE THE ISSUANCE OF A PAYMENT JUSTIFICATION ORDER DOCUMENT ON YOUR BEHALF WHICH WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE BANK OF AMERICA FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF YOUR FUNDS.
 
FULL NAMES:
CONTACT ADDRESS:
NATIONALITY:
OCCUPATION:
PHONE:
AGE:
 
           AS SOON AS THIS INFORMATION IS RECEIVED, YOUR PAYMENT WILL BE MADE TO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT DIRECTLY FROM THE BANK OF AMERICA.MYOUR PAYMENT APPROVAL IS MADE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE WORLD BANK AND WE INTEND TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE YOUR FUNDS TRANSFER. YOU ARE THEREFORE STRONGLY ADVISED TO DESIST FROM FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH ANY OTHER BANK, INDIVIDUAL OR INSTITUTION REGARDING THIS MATTER, FOR THE OVERALL SAFETY OF YOU AND YOUR FUND.
 
BEST REGARDS,
 
JEREMY McCALISTER
HEAD OF GOVERNANCE AND FINANCE.

Anti-fraud resources: