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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 NATION" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <richardaustin00@live.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2014 15:38:05 +0700
Subject: PAYMENT FOR SCAM VICTIMS FROM UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION UNIT, IN AFFILIATION WITH WORLD BANK.

PAYMENT FOR SCAM VICTIMS FROM UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION UNIT, IN AFFILIATION WITH WORLD BANK.
 
Dear.
 
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 7 months which ended 2 days ago with the then 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 have agreed to compensate them with the sum of US$7.500,000,00.
 
This includes every foreign contractors that may have not received their contract Inheritance sum, and people that have had an unfinished transaction or international businesses that failed due to Government problems etc.
 
We found your email address in our list as among the people to be compensate and that is why we are contacting you, this have been agreed upon and have been signed.
 
In this regards if you wish and ready to receive your compensation payment you are advice to get back to this office with your FULL Details and telephone number immediately you receive this message so that we can forward your details to our payment center and direct you to the officer in charge of your payment.
 
 
Thanks and God bless you and your family.
 
 
Hoping to hear from you as soon as you receive your cash payment.
 
Making the world a better place.
 
 
Regards,
Mr. Richard Austin, Chairman of UN Settlement Unit.
http://www.un.org/sg/
 

Anti-fraud resources: