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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: "Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <secretarybanmoon@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2016 01:42:42 +0100
Subject: United Nations Compensation Unit

United Nations Compensation Unit, In Affiliation with World Bank Our Ref: U.N/WBO/042/2016.
 
Congratulations,
 
You may not understand why this mail came to you, We have been having a meeting for quit
sometime now and we just came to a logical conclusion few days ago in affiliation with the
World Bank president, This email is to few well listed people that have been scammed in any
part of the world, the UNITED NATIONS in  Affiliation with WORLD BANK have agreed to compensate
them with the sum of USD $3,000,000.00 Dollars.
 
These 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, We found your email in the list of those who are to benefit from these compensation
exercise and that is why we are contacting you, this have been agreed upon and have been signed.
 
You are advised to contact Chairman Alhaji S. A. Abu-Jajah of our paying center, Contact him
immediately for your Payment of USD$3,000,000.00 Dollars, you are advise to send him your full
Name and telephone number your correct mailing address for verification, Contact Chairman Alhaji S.
A. Abu-Jajah payment center with your payment code: 00977 immediately for your fund.
 
Person to contact: Chairman Alhaji S. A. Abu-Jajah
E-MAIL: alhaji-finance@outlook.com
 
We apologize on behalf of the United Nation organization for any delay you might have encountered in
receiving your fund in the past, Thanks and God bless you and your family, Hoping to hear from you as
soon as you contact the above person and furnish him with the information that will be required to avoid any mistakes:-
 
Congratulations, and I look forward to hear from you as soon as you confirm your payment
making the world a better place.
 
Regards,
 
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,
United Nations.
http://www.un.org/sg/

Anti-fraud resources: