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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: "Hello" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <benduke8@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Jul 2013 15:42:49 +0200
Subject: Your Payment

United Nations Compensation Unit, In Affiliation with World
 
Bank Our Ref: U.N/WBO/042UK/2012.
 
Congratulations Beneficiary,
 
 
How are you today? Hope all is well with you and family? You
 
may not understand why this mail came to you. We have been
 
having a meeting for the past 7 months which just ended few
 
days ago with the secretary to the UNITED NATIONS. This email
 
is to all the people that have been scammed in any part of the
 
world, the UNITED NATIONS in Affiliation with WORLD BANK have
 
agreed to compensate them with the sum of USD $500,000.00
 
Dollars.
 
This includes every foreign contractors that may have not
 
received their contract sum, and people that have had an
 
unfinished transaction or international businesses that failed
 
due to Government problems etc. We found your name in the list
 
of those who are to benefit from these compensation exercise
 
and that is why we are contacting you, this have been agreed
 
upon and have been signed. You are advised to contact Mr Ben
 
Duke of our paying center in Africa, as he is our
 
representative in Nigeria, contact him immediately for your
 
Cheque/ International Bank Draft of USD$500,000.00 Dollars.
 
This fund is in form of a Bank Draft for security purpose ok?
 
So he will send it to you and you can clear it in any bank of
 
your choice. Therefore, you should send him your full Name and
 
telephone number your correct mailing address where you want
 
him to send the Draft to you. Contact Mr Ben Duke of ZENITH
 
PAYMENT CENTER with your payment code: 82509 immediately for
 
your Cheque at the given address below:
 
Person to contact: Ben Duke
 
E-MAIL: benduke8@gmail.com
 
 
I apologize on behalf of my organization for any delay you
 
might have encountered in receiving your fund in the past.
 
Thanks and God bless you and your family. Hoping to hear from
 
you as soon as you cash your Bank Draft. Making the world a
 
better place.
 
You are required to contact the above person and furnish him
 
with the following of your information that will be required
 
to avoid any mistakes:-
 
1. Your Full name:
 
2. Your Country:
 
3. Contact Address:
 
4. Telephone Number:
 
5. Fax Number:
 
6. Marital Status:
 
7. Occupation:
 
8. Sex:
 
9. Age:
 
Congratulations, and I look forward to hear from you as soon
 
as you confirm your payment making the world a better place.
 
 
 
Regards,
 
 
 
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon
 
http://www.un.org/sg/
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTICE: This E-mail (including attachments) is covered by the
 
Electronic Communication Privacy Acts, 18 U.S.C Sec 2510-2521,
 
is
 
confidential and may be legally privileged. The information is
 
solely
 
for the use of the addressee named above. If you are not the
 
intended
 
recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or other use
 
of the
 
contents of this information is strictly prohibited. If you
 
have
 
received this E-mail in error, please notify us by return e-
 
mail and
 
delete this message.
 
 

Anti-fraud resources: