419 scam: help <help@itsprettygreen.com> The accredited WESTERN UNION for your payment.

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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:
- "western union" (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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "registration 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. )
- "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)
- "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: help <help@itsprettygreen.com>
Reply-To: beninwestunion7@sify.com
Date: Sat, 29 May 2010 10:43:02 +0100
Subject: The accredited WESTERN UNION for your payment.

Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS)
Debt Liquidation Committee
Republic of Benin

The accredited WESTERN UNION for your payment.

Attention,Please!code..27().

Your name has been found in the Central Computer-data among the list of unpaid foreign recipients dating back to the year 2006 in republic of Benin and other West African countries. ECOWAS governments has allocated an initial expense payment to 36 recipients which you're one of them in code..27().

Now released on a special method of payment by WESTERN UNION MONEYTRANSFER,Which shall be transferring to you on an installmental bases of $5000 every day until the whole $1.500,000.00 is completely Transferred to you.so if you're the owner of this e-email id who had spent lots for your inheritance,contract and compensation etc funds.Youâ€™re obliged to the referral of your payment agent of Western union.Reconfirm your withdrawal details.

Your name, address, phone number and your occupation.....Send the required details to
MR.Ashley Iguda at... ( western_union_agency@voila.fr ) your accredited payment agent.

Note.You will certainly pay a $105 for beneficiary payment releasing order registration fee. Do update to us as soon as you drawn your first and second payment. And no money shall deduct from your principal funds $1.5M this is to keep an accurate account of your payments and to avoid hoaxes since you were disappointed in the past.

I Hope you know the routine of withdrawing money via w/u ?.The WESTERN UNION MONEYTRANSFER shall supply you with some ten digit numbers alias (mtcn)money control numbers, text question and answer, the amount and youraddress as a drawee.You shall withdraw the monies from western unionlocations nearest to you .

Best Regards..
Comrade. Benjamin s Obih
P.R.O
EOWAS COMMISSION.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam