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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: "Mrs.Carman Lapointe-Young" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unoffice.ng106@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2013 18:40:36 -0500
Subject: UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES
Internal Audit, Monitoring,Consulting And Investigations Division
From: Mrs. Carman Lapointe Young.
 
To: Fund Beneficiary,
 
This is to inform you that I came to Nigeria this new year from New York United Nations headquarters, after series of complain from the FBI and other Security agencies from almost every part of the globe against Africa,the Federal Government of Nigeria and the British Government over the rate of scam activities going on in these nations and the rate at which fund beneficiaries are being treated and deceived to the extend of rendering most of these people bankrupt and homeless by collecting and asking them to send more monies to them because they claim that they will help you and they claim to be from one office or another but all these are mere lies and deceit.
 
Having met with President Goodluck E. Jonathan of Nigeria & as directed by our secretary general, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, We are working in collaborations with the Nigerian Economic & Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to waive away all the fees/Charges and authorize the Government of Nigeria to effect the payment of your compensation amount of $10M USD approved by the British government and the UN into your account without any delay. It was resolved that the only fee you must pay to confirm your fund payment is only the Notarization fee to the UN.
 
Sincerely, you are such a lucky person because as I just arrived in this country, I went through your fund payment & ownership file to discovered that some top Nigerians and British Government Officials are interested in your fund and they are working in collaboration with officers from USA to frustrate you and thereafter divert your fund into their personal account.
 
I have a very limited time to stay in Nigeria, so I would like you to urgently respond to this message so that I can advise you on how best to confirm your fund after the Notarization fee payment settled.
 
For oral discussion, call me on this number which I acquired in Nigeria: +234-813-292-5511.
 
Yours Sincerely,
 
Mrs. Carman Lapointe Young
United Nations Under-Secretary
General for Internal Oversight.

Anti-fraud resources: