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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: "info@unitednation.org" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <woodforestnation01@rediffmail.com>
Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 17:15:51 -0700
Subject: FROM MR. BAN KI-MOON (UN) SECRETARY GENERAL

Dear Beneficary,
We write in regards to your delayed Contract/Inheritance Funds in the sum of Eight Million , Five Hundred United States Dollars (US$8,500,000.00) which you are yet to receive as a result of your inability to raise the required fee(s) to conclude your Transaction. The United Nations has decided to proffer a solution that will make it easier for all the Beneficiaries to receive their Funds.
We understood that some Fees are required in order process and Transfer your Funds into your Account. We are also aware that most Beneficiaries do not have these required fees. We have therefore deliberated with the Bank in charge of this payment to allow Beneficiaries the privilege of receiving their Funds in two (2) or three (3) installments. In this case, Beneficiaries will no longer be required to pay the fee at once but part of it depending on the number of installments such Beneficiary will like his/her Funds to be released to him/her.
Write the Bank and request that you want your fund to be transferred to your account by installments payment, so that once the first payments enters into your account you can then use money from there to facilitate the transfer of the remaining balance, once the first installments enters into your account that you will equally give you another opportunity to do a telex-transfer and withdrawal from your account to Wood Forest Nation Bank Online transfer procedure.
 
 
The Wood Forest Bank which is now in charge of your Payment has agreed to give the Beneficiaries the option of receiving their Funds at once, in two or three installments. This will help the beneficiaries to pay part of the fee and receive part of their Funds with which such beneficiary can upset the remaining fee and receive his/her complete Funds. To break this down:
 
Three Hundred Dollars ($300) fee will facilitate the release of One Million United States Dollars (US$1,000,000.00) only. Six Hundred Dollars ($600) fee will facilitate the release of Two Million United States Dollars (US$2,000,000.00) only.One Thousand, Six Hundred Dollars ($1,600) fee which is the total fee will facilitate the release of your Full Contract/inheritance Funds in the sum of Eight Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$8,500,000.00). However, Feel free to inform us how much you can raise should you cannot afford any of the above Mentioned installment so as for us to talk to the Bank to know how much out of your Funds they could release to you with the amount you can come up with.
This meeting was first held on the 8th of April 2003. You
can view this page for your perusal: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2003/ik344.doc.htm
 
Therefore, you should send him your full Name and telephone
number/your correct mailing address.
This is the best the United Nations can do for you and you are advised to take advantage of this opportunity. Kindly, contact Harry Wood, at the Wood Forest Bank North Carolina USA. to indicate your preferred option. He could be reached at: E-mail: woodforestnation01@rediffmail.com
NOTE: Do not be shy to indicate the amount you have in hands (no proper-amount is so small to trigger installments-payment base on our discussion with the Bank) so that the first payment will move to your account for you to confirm the existence of the fund before your proceed for the balance.
MR. BAN KI-MOON
(UN) SECRETARY GENERAL
Congratulations! http://www.un.org/sg/

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