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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. EDWARDS COOK." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <edwardcook_56@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2014 08:29:50 -0700
Subject: Dear Beneficiary

Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/KB027
Attention: Sir/Madam,
How are you today?
This letter is from the United Nation World Fund Discovery Management and Payment Bureau newly established by the World Financial Service Authority United States of America, Europe, and Africa and Asia region.
This body was set up to discover an unpaid fund being owed to Governments or Individuals all over the world through Contract Payment, Inheritance and Lottery Winning Prize Awards.
It will interest you to know that we have discovered an unpaid / unclaimed sum of money in favor of your name and a mandate has been given to this body World Fund Discovery Management and Payment Bureau to ensure that this fund gets to you without delay. The funds in question was awarded to you for some time now and we have sent several emails and memo to you to come forward and make the claims but you failed to respond back to us.(edwardcook56@yahoo.com)
Note that a special payment arrangement has been made to remit this fund to you either through Telegraphic Wire Transfer (Online Banking), Diplomatic Means of Payment or Alternatively come in person to any of our payment offices in Europe, America, Asia, Europe or Middle-East.
You are advised to furnish this office with your contact information to enable us open up communication with you regarding the release of your fund immediately.
please  Upon the receipt of your email and personal details, I will attach and send you a copy of my United Nations ID Card for your confirmation / perusal.
 
Take note that the above information of your payment file are to be kept highly confidential as we will not bear responsibility for loose of character regarding your funds and having received these vital payment information, you are qualified now to receive your fund directly from the above office.
Yours in Service,
Mr. EDWARDS COOK.
United Nations Under-Secretary-General
for Internal & Foreign Payment/Transfer.

Anti-fraud resources: