419 scam: "Dr. James Edwards $UN$" <customerscare.fdx@gmail.com> Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/TK0245 UNITED NATIONS.

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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:
- "atm payment department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",500,000" (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)
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.
- +22998842246 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. James Edwards $UN$" <customerscare.fdx@gmail.com>
Reply-To: transferoffice1@voila.fr
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2012 15:27:25 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/TK0245 UNITED NATIONS.

Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/TK0245 UNITED NATIONS.
(WORLD BANK ASSISTED PROGRAMMED)
DIRECTORATE OF INTERNATIONAL
PAYMENT AND TRANSFERS.
WIRE TRANSFER/AUDIT UNIT

Attention: Honorable Beneficiary,

IRREVOCABLE PAYMENT ORDER VIA ATM CARD

We have actually been authorized by the newly appointed united nation secretary general, and the governing body of the UNITED NATIONS monetary unit, to investigate the unnecessary delay on your payment, recommended and approved in your favor. During the course of our investigation, we discovered with dismay that your payment has been unnecessarily Delayed by corrupt officials of the Bank who are Trying to divert your funds into their private accounts. To forestall this, security for your funds was organized in the form of your personal Identification number (PIN) ATM CARD and this will enable only you to have direct Control over your funds in the ATM CARD. We will monitor this payment ourselves to avoid the hopeless situation created by the Officials of the bank.

An irrevocable payment guarantee has been issued from the Office of the Presidency on your Payment. However, we are happy to inform you that based on our recommendation/instructions, your complete contract/inheritance funds has bee credited in your favor through ATM CARD. You are therefore advice to contact:

MR. SAMUEL TANKO,
Director ATM Payment Department, Ecobank Benin
EMAIL ADDRESS: transferoffice1@voila.fr
Direct Telephone lines: +229-9884 2246

Contact him now for the delivery of your ATM card. As soon as you establish a contact with him, an ATM card will be issued to you immediately that you can use to withdraw your funds in any ATM machine in any part of the world, but the maximum is usd$4,000.00usd per day. So if you like to receive your funds through this means you're advised to contact the ATM card payment center with the following information as stated below:

1. PHONES AND FAX NUMBER, :
2. ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND YOUR ATM CARD
TO (P.O BOX NOT ACCEPTABLE)
3. YOUR AGE : 4: OCCUPATION :
5. YOUR FULL NAME.
NOTE: YOU ARE ADVICED TO FURNISH MR. SAMUEL TANKO WITH YOUR CORRECT AND VALID DETAILS. ALSO BE INFORMED THAT THE AMOUNT WHICH WAS CREDITED INTO YOUR ATM CARD USD$2,500,000.00 ONLY.We expect your urgent response to this email to enable us monitor this payment effectively thereby making contact with MR. SAMUEL TANKO as directed to avoid further delay.

CONGRATULATIONS.
DR. JAMES C. EDWARD
UNITED NATIONS.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam