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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: "UN Secretary General" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <samueltaylor@yahoo.cn>
Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2011 19:21:00 +0330
Subject: The Truth About Your Funds!

Attention:
 
How are you today? Hope all is well with you and family?
 
 
You may not understand why this email came to you. We have been having a
meeting for the passed 7 months which ended 2 days ago with the then
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 have agreed to compensate them with the sum of USD
$850,000 (Eight hundred and fifty thousand United State Dollars Only), This
also includes every foreign contractors that may have not received their
contract sum, and people that have had an unfinished transaction or
international businesses that failed due to Government problems etc.
 
 
We found your name in our list and that is why we are contacting you, this
has been agreed upon and have been signed.
 
 
You are advised to contact Mr. Samuel Taylor, as he is our representative in
Nigeria, contact him immediately for your payment of USD$850,000 (Eight
hundred and fifty thousand United State Dollars Only)which way you need the
fund to be delivered. So he will send it to you and you can clear it in any
means of your choice.
You are advice to get in contact with Mr. Samuel Taylor and provide him with
below information.
 
Full Name:
Address:
Telephone Number:
 
Person to Contact Mr. Samuel Taylor
Email: samueltaylor@yahoo.cn
 
 
Thanks and God bless you and your family, Hoping to hear from you as soon as
you cash your Fund.
 
 
Making the world a better place.
Regards,
Mr. Ban Ki-Moon
UN Secretary General.
 

Anti-fraud resources: