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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: "MISS GRACE AMAKA JOHN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnamakagrace@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2015 19:00:50 -0400
Subject: 1st April, 2015

 
1st April, 2015
 
 
                    WEST AFRICA SCAM VICTIMS COMPENSATION PROGRAM
 
 
This is to officially inform the recipient of this email that you are among the [100] one hundred individuals from different countries who were victims of various West African Scam selected to be compensated with the sum of $1,000,000.00 [One million USD] each as instructed by World Bank in conjunction with Africa Union [AU] to redeem the image of West African governments/ countries where the scam  were perpetrated as a result of the protest letters by Int’l communities to World Bank and Africa Union regarding  the act of scam against their citizens by West Africans. United Bank for Africa [ UBA] is one of the banks appointed in West Africa by World Bank and African Union to facilitate payments to verified  victims through their email addresses.
 
 
As instructed by World Bank that the aforementioned sum should be released to beneficiaries through de-personalized international acceptable ATM VISA CASH CARD to access the $1,000,000.00 compensation amount with in any part of the Word by each individual beneficiary of the program from the account linked with the Cards for transparency and also to allow individual beneficiaries to be fully in charge of the payment process , you are therefore, required to re-confirm / submit your personal information which should include the address where the ATM VISA CASH CARD should be delivered to you as thus:
 
 
[a]Beneficiary full Name
[b]Full address which should include the State where the address is situated or located.
[c]Beneficiary direct telephone lines and scanned means of identification
 
 
Given the time frame within which I am expected to release the $1million through the de-personalized ATM VISA CASH CARD to each individual beneficiary as to submit my report to the management of United Bank for Africa [UBA] for the presentation of it to World Bank and African Union authorities, arrangement for the delivery of the financial instrument to each individual beneficiary has been perfected with FedEx Courier company management the official carriers of the Bank at the subsidized rate of $85 [ Eighty five USD] to wherever the beneficiary of this laudable program desire the Card to be brought to him or her  therefore, in my subsequent email acknowledging the receipt of your information, you will be directed on how to make available this amount for the immediate delivery of the Card and associated documents to you by FedEx.
 
 
The specimen of the ATM financial instrument will also be scanned to you in my next email.
 
 
As the coordinator of this payment in the bank appointed by United Bank for Africa management, you are strictly advised to forward the above listed information of your person to my direct email address to make the task of ensuring that the process of making payments to beneficiaries / your person is easier as you are also advised, to limit your communication to me as to enable me give proper account to the concerned authorities and to prevent over ambitious individuals in and outside the bank from making mess of the entire process of releasing $1million to each individual lucky beneficiary.
 
 
This is a genuine program initiated by Africa Union [AU] assisted by World Bank to bring succor to victims of West Africa Scam hence, do not down play it by thinking is an attempt to defraud you, as you are advised to consider it a priority to ensure that the $1million is given access to you through the ATM VISA CASH CARD within the period allowed.
 
 
Yours faithfully
Miss. Grace Amaka John
For United Bank for Africa [UBA]/ Payment coordinator
Personal Email:johngraceamaka@yahoo.co.uk
Direct Tel:+2348079186139
Office Address: 1, Idowu Taylor Street, Victoria Island, Lagos state
 

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