419 scam: "UNECA AFRICA"<ecainfo@uneca.org> YOUR PENDING FUNDS HAS BEEN RELEASED

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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:

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:
- "demurrage " (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. )
- "security keeping fee" (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. )
- ",500,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2348062144502 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "UNECA AFRICA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <une.caafrice@live.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2010 03:43:27 -0700
Subject: YOUR PENDING FUNDS HAS BEEN RELEASED

Important Notice,

It's the begining of the first quater of the year and so we are using this medium so release your valuable funds to you since the year has just begun the Finance Government Nigeria wants to release all pending winnings and transactions through the support of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to all winners and beneficiaries.

So right now I want to inform you that the delivery of your ATM CARD valued for $4,500,000.00 can still commence to your location since your ATM CARD valued ($4,500,000.00) still has up to a month before it
reaches its expiring date which should be enough time for you to cash out your funds before then after you must have received it in your location by our registerd courier company UPS.

For safety, your ATM CARD has been in a safe vault security company so you are advised to make settlement of the security keeping fee of $180usd immediately to cover for your security keeping charge and demurrage to enable the security company release your ATM CARD for UPS to commence delivery to your location.

At this point I will advise that you get back to me immediately with your delivery details for reconfirmation before I send back to you instructions on how to send over the $180usd so delivery can take effect immediately.

NAME:
DELIVERY ADDRESS (State, City, Zip code, Nearest Airport):
PHONE NUMBER (Work/Home/Cell):

After the fees is confirmed and the above delivery details from you and the Money ($180usd) has been sent across, delivery will commence and I will advise that you should get back to me immediately so that you can conclude with this while you still have time to cash out your funds from your ATM CARD ($4,500,000.00) as soon as it gets to you.

Contact web address:
une.caafrice@live.com
Phone: +234 806 214 4502
Await your urgent response.

Regards,
Mr George Brown.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam