419 scam: "UNITED NATIONS"<tim.stein@wrestletalkradio.com> SCAMMED VICTIM / US$500,000.00 BENEFICIARY.REF / PAYMENT CODE : 00654

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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:
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
- "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. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- +2347082978703 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "UNITED NATIONS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <zenithnig@blumail.org>
Date: Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:24:53 +0100
Subject: SCAMMED VICTIM / US$500,000.00 BENEFICIARY.REF / PAYMENT CODE : 00654

ZENITH BANK COMPENSATION UNIT, IN AFFILIATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS.Send a copy of your response to official email: zenithnig@blumail.org

ATTN: Sir/Madam,

How are you today? Hope all is well with you and family?,You may not
understand why this mail is coming to you.This mail is in regards to the
recent meeting held between the United Nations and the Present United States
Government to restore the dignity and Economy of the Nations
and also based on the agreement with the World Bank Assistants to
help make the world a better place for all with the sole aim of
abolishing poverty.

We have been having series of meetings for the passed 7 months which ended
few days ago with the secretary of the UNITED NATIONS, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon.
This email is to all the people that has been scammed in any part of the
world, the UNITED NATIONS has agreed to compensate them with the sum of
$500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars only)
This includes every foriegn contractors that may not have received their
contract sum and people that have had an unfinished transaction or
international businesses that failed due to Government problems etc.

Your name and email was in the list submitted by our Monitoring Team of
Economic and Financial Crime Commission observers, this is why we are
contacting you, this has been agreed, signed and sealed.

You are advised to contact Mrs. Josephine Johnson of ZENITH BANK NIGERIA PLC, as
she is our representative in Nigeria, contact Her immediately for your
Cheque/ International Bank Draft of $500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars only)
Thousand United States Dollars) Note, This fund is in a Bank Draft for
security purpose. She will send it to you and you can clear it in
any bank of your choice.

This meeting was first held on the 8th of April 2003. You can view this page for your perusal:
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2003/ik344.doc.htm

Therefore, you should send her your full Name and telephone number and
your correct mailing address, where you want her to send the Draft to.

Person to Contact Mrs. Josephine Johnson
Email: zenithnig@blumail.org
Phone Number: +234-708-297-8703

Goodluck and kind regards,

Making the world a better place

Mr. Ban Ki-Moon
Secretary (UNITED NATIONS).
http://www.un.org/sg/

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam