419 scam: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL <united-states@live.com> Attention: Beneficiary

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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:
- "to your nominated bank account" (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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- +2347038787781 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL <united-states@live.com>
Reply-To: unitedstatesdepartment@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 11 May 2010 15:16:21 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Attention: Beneficiary

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL
UNIT AND HUMAN RIGHT ACTIVIST,
BASED IN NIGERIA.
PLOT 36,BROAD STREET
MARINA LAGOS NIGERIA
PHONE: +234 7038787781

Attention: Beneficiary

The honorable Board of Directors of this council wishes to inform you that we have acknowledged your mail this afternoon, and we are satisfied beyond any reasonable doubt that you are the bonalfide/legal beneficiary of the allotted fund of £1,000,000.00, British pounds , after we had reviewed meaningfully into your file forwarded to us from our corporate Headquarter in London Unit, where this program was conducted using electronically selection of individual email from numerous created Websites.

Subsequent investigation conducted by the Surveillance Department of this claim regional office, has indicated in all jurisdictions that the claim information forwarded to us, merited the competence that could usher immediate release of your compensation funds worth of £1,000,000.00, British pounds to you as the afore-mentioned beneficiary.

In view of the above highlighted information, and with respect to the competence initiated so far, approval has been legally granted to you as the rightful beneficiary of our annual compensation program, aimed at eradicating/fighting, as well as joining in United Nations convention against mortality rate of hunger, commonly instituted by poverty in the world at large.

As a measure to pass this transaction within the range of International Monitory Funds Policy, as well as reached on consensus with United Nations Security Council, you are required to choose any of your suitable option set forth below, to enable us have a comprehensive choose option, that is convenient to you, to enhance expedition of release of your compensation funds to you for your life betterment's.

As part of our modality, and in line with official order received from The World Governing Body: United Nations(UN).We are fully in pledge to adopt the instruction from the said Board to release a short term deposit funds made in favor of you by The World Governing Body: United Nations(UN).

We hereby acknowledge the receipt of your email and your provided details which is in reference to the joint approval order from The World Governing Body: United Nations(UN). We have as well received an authentication reference from the above Approving Bodies via International Payment Voucher: WGB/BOP/UBN-IRD08 with an exclusive Authority to release/transfer the total sum of £1,000,000.00, British pounds to you, with reference to submitted contact address.

As you can see from the attachment file below, attached herein is the scan copy of Deposit Certificate issued to the Depositor (The World Governing Body: United Nations(UN)), during the era this funds was fixed as a deposited funds into the paying Bank, for which has legally proof, and indicated the authenticity of your claim as the rightful beneficiary. View for your perusal.

However, this office is under full obligation to give you a satisfactory service delivery once you have embrace our request with anticipated compliance, because we are bound with ethical and financial organizational standard. Our core business is to give you a unique, sound service delivery. We have three viable options that were meant to release/transfer funds to our beneficiaries. So, you have to make your choose from the Three set options on how we must release/transfer your funds to you. These options were set forth below:

1) BENEFICIARY APPEARING IN PERSON BEFORE THE PAYING BANK.

This option involves our beneficiary to appear in person before our Office in Nigeria, with an alleged bid to commemorate some requisite legal rites (Swearing of Affidavit and Funds Release Order) in Nigeria Federal High Court of Justice as the legal beneficiary to be allot the said fixed funds, as stipulated by the British Intelligent Financial Units.

Upon the arrival of the beneficiary, it implies that the legal rites must be endorsed and signed by the beneficiary on arrival without any cost, and as such, will empower the financial institution being UNION BANK NIGERIA PLC, where the funds is deposited, to release the lump sum of £1,000,000.00, British pounds , to the beneficiary in hand at the point of his/her arrival and due endorsement.

2) BANK TO BANK TRANSFER (TELEGRAPHIC WIRE TRANSFER).

This option involves transferring of your funds from the deposited paying Bank to your nominated Bank account in your country. The paying Bank will be entitled to wire/domicile your deposited funds into your Bank account via their Remittance Department of the Bank, where you would be entitled to confirm the existence of your funds into your bank account in your country within two(2) Banking days on the point of the transfer. And if you choose this option, then you have to get back to us including your bank account details as follows as to enable the paying bank to transfer your funds into you bank account:

i). Beneficiary Account Name:...
ii). Bank Account Number:...
iv). Account Swift Code:...
vii). Beneficiary Bank Name:...
iv). Beneficiary Bank Address:...

3) DIPLOMATIC COURIER SERVICE (DHL COURIER SERVICE).
This option involves the release/dispatch of your funds via International Bank Draft Cheque, acceptable in any renowned Bank globally. The cheque will be release to you via DHL COURIER SERVICE to your given address within 2 to 3 days by DHL Delivery Agency that will storm in your house address supplied to us by you. And if you choose this option as well, then you have to reconfirm your contact address where your funds should be delivered to you via DHL COURIER SERVICE. Just get back to us including your contact address details as follows below if it is the option you choose:

i).Your Full Name:...
ii).Your Complete contact Address:...
iv).Country:...
vii).Direct Telephone Number:...

Perharps, as officially mandated to every of our beneficiaries, you are required to appear in person, with a view to commemorate some legal rites in Nigeria High Court of Justice as the rightful beneficiary, prior the paying bank would be legally empowered to transfer/dispatch your funds valued £1,000,000.00, British pounds made on your behalf by The World Governing Body: United Nations(UN), to enable us meet International transfer policies, as initiated by the World Financial Intelligent Unit(IMF).

In contrast, if you cannot be able to appear/come within one or two working days in our office in Nigeria as mandated in number one option above, to endorse and sign these legal documents in Nigeria High Court Of Justice, then you would be required to make a choose from number TWO to number THREE option provided above as well. And as well as getting back to us with its requested details to enable us to release, deliver and transfer your funds to you immediately for your life betterment.

As a matter of necessity and urgency applied to your payment voucher, be informed that you have just two official working days to fulfill this requirement, so that your funds will be in your doorstep within two days on the point of your adherence, to avoid being declared unserviceable by the Bank where your fund is being deposited.

Get back to us with your chosen option. We would be looking forward to hear from you, and we appreciate your kind understanding regarding this request. So, critically view the attached file of the deposit certificate of your funds for more upfront attention.

Thanks for your anticipated understanding regarding this matter!

Yours in Service,
Dr. Edward Greenwood(OFR)
For:United States Department of Legal Matters and Human Right Activist,under United States International Liaison Office/Settlement Centre, Nigeria.
Phone: +234 7038787781

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam