419 scam: MRS LINA SODIC <unionwestern283@yahoo.com> FROM IMF HEAD OFFICE COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC

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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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned 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: MRS LINA SODIC <unionwestern283@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: MRS LINA SODIC <sodicfile@yahoo.co.id>
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2014 10:22:51 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: FROM IMF HEAD OFFICE COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC

Â FROM IMF HEAD OFFICE COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC
OFFICE ADDRESS 21 GOV ROD CA JACKSON 2 COTONOU BENIN

PLEASE DON'T OVER-LOOK THIS E-MAIL.

MY DEAR THIS IS MY (10) GOOD YEARS WORKING UNDER (I.M.F) OFFICE AND I
HAVE NO CRIMINAL RECORD SO FAR AND IT WILL NOT START IN YOUR OWN TIME
RATHER YOU WILL SHOWS YOUR APPRECIATION TO ME BY SENDING ME A GIFT
ONCE THIS TRANSFER FINALIZE AND YOU HAVE YOUR FUND RECEIVED AS I
PROMISE YOU FROM THE BEGINNING.

YOU AND I KNOWS THAT THERE IS SO MANY SCAMS IS GOING AROUND THE
GLOBAL WORLD TODAY USING NAMES OF BANKS OFFICES AND COMPANY'S TO SCAM
MONEY OUT FROM INNOCENT PEOPLE BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERY BODY
IS A SCAM.

AS IT STANDS NOW, I HAVE NOTING TO PROVE MYSELF THAT I AM NOT AMONG
THE SCAMMERS UNTIL I FULFILLED MY PROMISE BY GETTING YOUR FUND
TRANSFER TO YOU, THAT IS ONLY WAY I CAN PROVE MYSELF INNOCENT IN THIS
MATTER AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M DOING SO FAR BY TRY MY BEST TO
MAKE SURE YOU RECEIVE YOUR FUND.

I FEEL THE PROBLEM YOU HAVE NOW IS NOT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY TO
SEND BUT LACK OF TRUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN CHEATED MANY TIMES WITH
THIS TRICK OF SENDING MONEY TO MINE PEOPLE RELEASE YOUR FUND .
ALTHOUGH, I AM NOT AGAINST WHAT YOU HAVE SAID BECAUSE OF WHAT IS
HAPPENING TO PEOPLE IN THIS GLOBAL WORLD TODAY.

WHICH I KNOW THAT AFTER THIS CHARGE YOUR FUND WILL BEEN TRANSFER TO
YOU ,KINDLY GIVE ME THIS LAST CHANCE AND TRUST AND SEE IF I WILL NOT
FULFILLED MY PROMISE TO YOU BY GETTING YOUR FUND TO YOU WITH OUT ANY
FURTHER DELAYS AND REMEMBER THAT THIS WILL BE MY LAST CHANCE TO PROVE
MYSELF INNOCENT,

AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT AFTER YOU SEND THE $98.00 YOUR FUND WILL
BE TRANSFER TO YOU IMMEDIATELY.

WESTERN UNION INFORMATION

RECEIVER NAME:PETER OLUWA
COUNTRY IS / BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY ADDRESS IS / COTONOU
QUESTION:... IN
ANSWER:... GOD
AMOUNT:.............$98USD
MTCN:.........................
SENDERS NAME:.........

SEND THE PAYMENT DETAILS TO ME WHICH ARE SENDERS NAME AND ADDRESS,
MTCN NUMBER, TEXT QUESTION AND ANSWER USED AND THE AMOUNT SENT.
THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.

THANKS AS I WAIT FOR YOUR RESPONSE
RESPECTIVELY
MRS LINA SODIC

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam