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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: "Mr Joshua Anthony" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unitednations.nations@live.com>
Date: Sun, 19 May 2013 13:13:20 +0100
Subject: UNITED NATIONS.

 
UNITED NATIONS (UNITED NATIONS ASSISTED PROGRAMMED) DIRECTORATE OF
INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT AND TRANSFERS.
UNITED NATIONS LIAISON OFFICE
WIRE TRANSFER/AUDIT UNIT
Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/XX027
 
Attn: 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 passed 3 months which ended 2 days ago with the UNITED NATIONS BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND AUDITORS with new secretary to the United Nation Mr. Ban
Ki-moon.
 
This email is to all the people that have been scammed in any part of the world, the UNITED NATIONS have agreed to compensate them with the sum of US$16.5m USD via ATM CARD which they are been scammed of.
 
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.
 
Kindly send your full name and address and also your cell phone number to where the ATM card will be delivered to,this have been agreed upon and have been signed.
 
Thanks and God bless you and your family. Hoping to hear from you ASAP!!
Making the world a better place,
 
OUR BEST REGARDS.
Mr Joshua Anthony
 
 
Mr. Kofi Anan
Former secretary to The United Nation.
And New secretary to the United Nation,
Mr. Ban Ki-moon.

Anti-fraud resources: