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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: "PAYMENT1" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <worldbankassistedpayment@yahoo.se>
Date: Thu, 2 May 2013 02:12:44 -0700
Subject: Re .IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF YOUR FUND US$10MILLION ONLY VIA ATM VISA CARD.

UNITED NATIONS/WORLD BANK PAYMENT ASSISTED PROGRAMME
INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT AND TRANSFERS SECTION
760 United Nations Plaza New York, NY 10017, USA
Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/XX013
 
Attention Sir/Madam
 
We write to inform you that we have been authorized by the International Court of Justices in conjunction with the World Bank to investigate the unnecessary delay of your approved Economic Empowerment inheritance fund. We were also empowered to recommend and approve your payment claim if certified genuine. During the course of our investigation, we discovered with dismay that your payment has been unnecessarily delayed by some corrupt officials who are trying to divert the fund into their private accounts.
 
To forestall this, security for your funds has been organized and for the safety of your funds we have been specifically advised to release this payment to you either by a telegraphic transfer into your designated account or through special cash delivery. We have also agreed with the presidency that we will make this payment via the United Nations accredited bank to avoid the hopeless situation created by the officials of the previous bank.
 
We are happy to inform you that based on our recommendation your approved inheritance fund Ten Million United States Dollars (US$10M) will be credited in ATM Visa Card in your favor through our accredited bank Escrow account.
 
You are hereby advised to reconfirm the below information’s to the payment Supervisor Mr. Brown Okon, Email: un2013@wss-id.org to receive your ATM VISA CARD.
 
(1) Your legal full name
(2) Phone, Fax and Mobile Number
(3) Company’s Name and your Position
(4) Your full physical address
(5) Your Profession, Age and Marital Status
(6) Copy of Int’l Passport or any Authorized Identity
 
We expect your urgent response to this email to enable us monitor this payment effectively.
 
Congratulations!
 
Mr. Kiyotaka Akasaka
Public Information Officer.
Website: www.un.org/sg/management.shtml
 

Anti-fraud resources: