419 scam: "Mr George Adams"<jsheffield@theeventco.net> To: Unpaid Beneficiary

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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. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr George Adams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <georgeadams1977@underpaid.co.in>
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2014 08:09:18 -0500
Subject: To: Unpaid Beneficiary

Ms. Carman L.Lapointe
Head Of United Nations Under-Secretary-
General For Internal Oversight Services
Contact My Personal Assistance

To: Unpaid Beneficiary

This is to inform you that I came to United Kingdom yesterday from Canada, after series of complaint from the FBI and other Securityagencies from Asia,Europe, South America and the United States of America respectively, against the Federal Government of Nigeria and the British Government for the high volume of fraudulent activities going on in these two nations.

Right now, as directed by UN secretary General named Ban Ki-Moon we are working in collaborations with the Metropolitan Police Service and we have decided to waive away all your clearance fees/Charges and authorized the Government to effect your overdue payment worth $3.3 Million USD funds without any delay as approved and instructed by CANADIAN government and UNITED NATIONS.

Sincerely, you are a lucky person because I have just discovered that some top Canadian Government Officials are interested in your funds and they are working in collaboration with One Mr.John Hillary from USA to frustrate you and thereafter divert your funds into their personal account.

Note that I have a very limited time to stay here in London so I would like you to urgently respond to this message

contact Mr George Adams with this email address georgeadams1977@underpaid.co.in

your details, forward the following information to Mr George Adams to enable him instruct you on how your $3.3 Million USD funds will get to you.

Your full name, full address,direct phone number,Sex,Age and Occupation so that he can advise you on how best to confirm your funds in your account within the next 72 hours.

Sincerely yours,
Ms. Carman L.Lapointe
Head Of United Nations Under-Secretary
General For Internal Oversight Services.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam