419 scam: UNITED NATIONS <office------ma8412@att.net> RE: VERIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF YOUR PAYMENT FILE.

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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:
- "your payment is being processed" (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)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: UNITED NATIONS <office------ma8412@att.net>
Reply-To: unitednations.orgbj@qatar.io
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 08:17:21 -0800 (PST)
Subject: RE: VERIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF YOUR PAYMENT FILE.

UNITED NATIONS
DEBT SETTLEMENT PANEL.
BENIN REPUBLIC OFFICE, COTONOU
WEST AFRICAN QUARTERS.
REF NO: AUTH PMT-UN/IOD/2011/Q4
PRIVATE EMAIL: unitednations.orgbj@qatar.io

RE: VERIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF YOUR PAYMENT FILE.

FROM THE RECORDS OF OUTSTANDING FUNDS DUE FOR IMMEDIATE PAYMENT, YOUR NAME/PARTICULARS WAS DISCOVERED AS NEXT ON THE APPROVED LIST. I WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR PAYMENT IS BEING PROCESSED AND FROM THE RECORD IN MY FILE, THE TOTAL SUM OF US$1.5M HAVE BEEN APPROVED ON YOUR BEHALF FOR THE FINAL QUARTER OF THIS 2011 FISCAL YEAR.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION, WE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR PAYMENT TO AVOID FURTHER COMPLAINTS FROM BENEFICIARIES ABOUT INCESSANT TAXES, FEES AND LEVIES.

KINDLY RE-CONFIRM THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY TO FACILITATE THE ISSUANCE OF AN INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT JUSTIFICATION ORDER DOCUMENT ON YOUR BEHALF WHICH WILL ENABLE THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF YOUR FUNDS.

1) YOUR FULL NAME:
2) CONTACT ADDRESS:
3) NATIONALITY:
4) PHONE, FAX AND MOBILE :
5) GENDER:
6) AGE:

YOUR PAYMENT APPROVAL IS MADE UNDER THE OCEANIC BANK BENIN REPUBLIC AND WE INTEND TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE YOUR FUNDS TRANSFER. YOU ARE THEREFORE STRONGLY ADVISE TO STOP FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH ANY OTHER BANK OR INSTITUTION REGARDING THIS MATTER, FOR THE OVERALL SAFETY OF YOU AND YOUR FUND.

BEST REGARDS,
MR. RAYMOND GEORGE
UNITED NATIONS

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam