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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: "UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <williams_james.org26@globomail.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2014 22:30:55 +0200
Subject: IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT

UNITED NATIONS
(WORLD BANK ASSISTED PROGRAMME)
DIRECTORATE OF INTERNATIONAL
PAYMENT AND TRANSFERS.
870 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA 20-A NEW YORK NY 10017
WIRE TRANSFER/AUDIT UNIT
Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/XX027
IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT
 
We have been authorized by the UN secretary general, and the governing body of the UNITED NATIONS monetary unit to investigate the unnecessary delay of your inheritance fund, recommended and approve the payment in your favour.
 
During the course of our investigation, we discovered with dismay that your payment has been unnecessarily Delayed by corrupt officials who are trying to divert your money into their private accounts, to forestall this, security for your funds Was organized in the form of your personal Identification number (PIN) ATM CARD this will enable only you have direct Control over this fund, we have also agreed with the Presidency that we will handle this payment ourselves to avoid the hopeless situation created by the these Officials. We obtained an irrevocable payment guarantee on your Payment from the presidency we are happy to inform you that based on our recommendation/instructions; your Entire Inheritances fund has been credited in your favour through a pre-pay Maestro ATM Visa Debit Card.
 
You are therefore advised you send your contact to Mr. Williams James International Audit unit, United Nations Liaison Office Abuja Nigeria on this phone number or +234- 8012 4801 777  EMAIL: williams_james.org26@globomail.com to collect your original payment slip with your ATM Visa Debit card, you can withdraw money from any ATM machine in any part of the world, but the maximum is ($5,000) five thousand dollars per a day. Contact Mr.Williams James confirming the following information:
 
1. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER,
2. YOUR FULL NAME
3. ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD
TO (P.O BOX NOT ACCEPTABLE)
5. Home Equity {YES OR NO}.
 
NOTE: YOU ARE ADVISED TO FURNISH Mr. Williams James WITH YOUR
CORRECT CONTACT DETAILS. AND ALSO BE INFORMED THAT THE
AMOUNT TO BE PAID NOW IS $5.3 MILLION THE REST WILL BE
PAID TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU CONFIRM A RECEIPT OF THE CARD.
We expect your urgent response to this email to enable us monitor this payment effectively.
 
CONGRATULATIONS.
MR JAN ELIASSON
UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK

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