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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: "United Nations" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kimberlymertz7@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2018 03:31:07 -0500
Subject: Compensation Funds

Hello,
We are solicitors in the recently concluded 2018 investigations and subsequent arrests of suspected fraudsters in Africa region, in collaboration with the present governments of Nigeria, Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire, Burkina-faso,England and South Africa, the UN security operatives have so far arrested and prosecuted over 300 government and banking officials and arrest is still going on.
So far, the UN security operatives have also recovered about $5.1 Billion from both cash and accounts. It is from the address books of the arrested officials that your email address was recovered.
Right now, the United Nations (UN) and their Africa Union (AU) counterpart is paying a $15,000,000.00 compensation to those whose emails addresses and other personal data are recovered from these arrested officials, and also paying full contract or inheritance and winning amounts to those with provable information qualifying them as genuine contractors and beneficiaries of funds in the affected African countries.
Which category do you fall? Have you been getting emails for payments from these countries? OR are you a legitimate contractor and fund beneficiary in any of the affected African country?
Please contact FBI agent Kimberly Mertz via email kimberlymertz7@gmail.com, indicate clearly to her for proper guidelines and details on how to receive this compensation or your full payment.
Regards.
Barrister.David Franklin
United Nations

Anti-fraud resources: