419 scam: "Ban Ki-Moon"<Ban-kimoon@un.org> UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION UNIT

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- billyfoster03@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Ban Ki-Moon" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <billyfoster03@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2012 02:19:48 +1000
Subject: UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION UNIT

UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION UNIT,
IN AFFILIATION WITH WORLD BANK.
351 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022

Our Ref: UN/TH/066147/2012

Attention Beneficiary,

How are you today? Hope all is well with you and family? You may not understand why this mail came to you. We have been having a meeting for the past 3 months which ended yesterday with the secretary to the UNITED NATIONS. This email is to all the people that have been scammed in any part of the world, the UNITED NATIONS has agreed to compensate them with the sum of US$550.000.00 each and you have to indicate how much you lost in the hands of scammers.

This includes if you have sent money with Western Union or Money Gram also every foreign contractors, Inheritance,Dating and Lottery payment that have not received their Lottery/Inheritance payment, and people that have had an unfinished transaction or international Lottery payment that failed due to Government problems etc. We found your name in our list and that is why we are contacting you, this have been agreed upon and have been signed to pay you the above amount.

You are advised to contact Mr Billy Foster who is in charge of your payment through our paying center in Texas, Contact him immediately for more information on how to get your compensation of $550.000.00 payment from the United Nations.

Therefore, you should send him your full Name,telephone number and your correct home address, Contact Mr Billy Foster immediately for your compensation payments.

Person to Contact: Mr Billy Foster
Email: billyfoster03@yahoo.com

Thanks and God bless you and your family. Hoping to hear from you as soon as you receive your compensation funds donÃÕ neglect this I advice you.

United Nations, Making the world a better place.

Regards,
Ban Ki-Moon
Secretary-General

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam