419 scam: "Ms. Carman L. Lapointe"<lim@englam.com.my> UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "tax clearance" (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. )
- "bank charges " (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. )
- "million 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)
- "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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Ms. Carman L. Lapointe" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mscarmandesk@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 00:00:15 +0200
Subject: UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES

United Nations Office of International Oversight Services (OIOS)
Internal Audit, Monitoring, Consulting and Investigations Division
From: Ms. Carman L. Lapointe
Head of United Nations Under-Secretary-
General for Internal Oversight Services

Attention:

My name is Ms. Carman L. Lapointe, from the United Nations. It is a distinct pleasure to write you again. As you are well aware many foreigners have invested thousands of
United States Dollars into Nigeria transactions in Hopeless Dreams to have none of them become a reality.

Right now, as directed by our secretary general Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, We have agreed
With the Nigerian Government that US$1,000,000.00 (One Million United States
Dollars Only) would be paid to you through the Bank Transfer Via special arrangement as first installment.

This is to enable you have enough funds to pay for the Tax Clearance and Bank
Charges before you will receive the balance of US$14.1M (Fourteen Million One
Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only). Being Telex Transfer fee and this
is the only financial obligation that you will undertake to receive the US$1,000,000.00 (One Million United States Dollars Only) through the Bank Transfer.

Lastly, I will like you to reconfirm your information to me such as your full name, address, telephone number, bank name, and banking information so that I will process
With your Bank Transfer within the next 24 hrs and the transaction information
Will be released.

For more information about me kindly click on the below link or copy and paste on your browser.

http://www.un.org/Depts/oios/pages/usg.html

I await your response for further proceedings.

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