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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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.

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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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)
• 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.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +22997516482 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • westernunion.paymentcenterwest@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "johnphilips4 Gazeta.pl" <johnphilips4@gazeta.pl>
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:06:27 +0200
Subject: CONTAC WESTERN UNION FOR YOUR FUNDS


Dear Sir/Madam,

There is an issue with the WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER in the amount of
$2.5m USD directed in cash credited to file WMT/9023118307-08, at
the owner of this email address.richjohn1@aol.in

The International Monetary Fund contacted us for your compensation a
couple of hours ago due to your allocated security code.
They said that they choose to send it to an email address instead of a
name. We are unable to complete a transfer directed at an email
address, so we require some more information to verify it with what we have
on file in order to complete this transfer and make sure we are not paying
the wrong beneficiary.

FULL NAME:
FULL CONTACT ADDRESS:
MOBILE PHONE NUMBER:
OCCUPATION:
MARITAL STATUS:
AGE:

In order to resolve this problem, please email via Western Union Solicitors
Fund Verification Department Unit: (westernunion.paymentcenterwest@gmail.com)

EMAIL:(westernunion.paymentcenterwest@gmail.com)

As soon as this information is received, and you have complied with the
requirements of payment of the western union charges, payment will be
made to your nominated bank account or at the
counter directly from The Western Union Transferring Bank.
When emailing, please use reference number #250-147 for our mutual
convenience.

THE MANAGEMENT OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER, OFFICE BENIN RPUBLIC BRANCH.

Sincerely,
Mr.john philips
Western Union Payments
Mobile: +22997516482
As we focus on making a difference in people's lives, people focus on
Western Union and acknowledge the possibilities we offer to those we
serve

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam