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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Mary Lawnson <marylawnson@usa.com>
Date: Fri, 27 May 2011 09:02:33 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION UNIT PAYMENT


UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION UNIT,
IN AFFILIATION WITH WORLD BANK.
Permanent Mission of ENGLAND to the United Nations
351 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022
 
Our Ref: UN/TH/066147/2011
 
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$750.000.00 each and you have to indicate how much you lost in the hands of scammers.
 
 
This includes every foreign contractors, Inheritance,Dating,Fake employment 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.
 
You are advised to contact Mrs Mary Lawnson who is in charge of your payment through our paying center in Europe as he is our representative in England, contact him immediately for more information on how to get your compensation of US$750.000.00 payment from the United Nations.
               
Therefore, you should send him your full Name,telephone number and your correct home address,

Person to Contact: Mrs Mary Lawson
Email: marylawnson@usa.com
 
Thanks and God bless you and your family. Hoping to hear from you as soon as you receive your compensation funds don’t neglect this I advice you.
 
United Nations, Making the world a better place.
 
Regards,
Ban Ki-Moon
Secretary-General

Anti-fraud resources: