419 scam: "UNITED NATIONS OFFICE"<notice77755@att.net> From: Mrs.Carman Lapointe

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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:
- "clearance 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. )
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- "economic and financial crime commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "UNITED NATIONS OFFICE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <contactemail1960@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2011 13:20:03 -0400
Subject: From: Mrs.Carman Lapointe

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES

Internal Audit,Monitoring,Consulting And Investigations Division

From: Mrs.Carman Lapointe

To:Fund Beneficiary,

This is to inform you that I came to Nigeria yesterday from London, after

series of complains from the FBI and other Security agencies from Asia,

Europe, Oceania, Antarctica, South America and the United States of

America respectively, against the Federal Government of Nigeria and the

British Government for the rate of scam activities going on in these two

nations.

I have met with President Good-luck Jonathan of Nigeria who claimed that

he has been trying his best to make sure you receive your fund in your

account.

Right now, as directed by our secretary general Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, We are

working in collaborations with the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crime

Commission (EFCC) and have decided to waive away all your clearance

fees/Charges and authorize the Government of Nigeria to effect the payment

of your compensation of an amount of $5.5M approved by both the British

government and the UN into your account without any delay. The only fee

you will pay to confirm your fund in your account is your Notarization fee

$550 to the UN Agent in Nigeria.

get back to us with your banking information,

Full Names:........................

Country:...................... .....

Direct Number:.....................

Bank Name:.........................

Bank Address:....................

Bank Acct,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Routing Number:...............

Swift Code:........................

Copy of your ID ......................

Sincerely, you are a lucky person because I have just discovered that some

top Nigerian and British Government Officials are interested in your fund

and they are working in collaboration with Barrister Smith One Nicholas

Giles to frustrate you and thereafter divert your fund into their personal

account.

have a very limited time to stay in Nigeria here so I would like you to

urgently respond to this message so that I can advise you on how best to

confirm your fund in your account within the next 72 hours.

Sincerely yours,

Mrs.Carman Lapointe

United Nations Under-Secretary-

General for Internal Oversight.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam