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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: "Benjamin Swanson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <offm0912@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2023 15:44:32 -0700
Subject: Good News?

 
 
 
This is to inform you that I came to New York yesterday from London, after series of complains from the FBI and other Security agencies from Asia, Europe, Oceania, Antarctica, South America and the United States of America respectively, against the Governments of some African nations and the British Government for the rate of scam activities going on in these nations.
 
I have met with the UN secretary general who informed me that he has been trying his best to make sure you receive your fund in your account. Right now, as directed by our secretary general Mr. António Guterres, We are working in collaboration with the concerned government agencies and have decided to waive away all your clearance fees/Charges and authorize the UN and the concerned governments and banks to effect the payment of your compensation of an amount of $10.5M approved by both the British government, United States and the UN into your account without any delay. The only fee you will pay to confirm your fund in your account is your Notarization fee to the UN.
 
Sincerely, you are a lucky person because I have just discovered that some top African, British and United States Government Officials are interested in your fund and they are working in collaboration with One Mr. Henk Peoples from the USA to frustrate you and thereafter divert your fund into their personal account. I have a very limited time to stay in New York here so I would like you to urgently respond to this message so that I can advise you on how best to confirm your funds in your account within the next 72 hours.
 
 
Sincerely yours.
 
Benjamin Swanson.
 
United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services.

Anti-fraud resources: