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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found 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.
• 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.
  • +22997344001 (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.
  • western.union.paymentcenter002@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:52:18 +0200
Subject: CONTACT WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OFFICE FOR YOUR FUND


=C2=A0


Dear Friend;=20
indicating this code (011887)=C2=A0 to western union money transfer,=20
The Board of Federal Ministry of Finance Benin Republic are here to notif=
y you
of your payment inherited funds of (US$1.5 Million USD After the meeting =
held=20
on 7th of OCT 2008. His Excellence the PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF B=
ENIN=20
Has instructed this Department to send your funds to you through western =
union
money transfer for easier receive of your inherited funds without any fur=
ther
delay.=20
You are required to send your name and address to our Payment Officer whe=
re yo
u want your fund to be send through Western Union. The maximum amount you=
will
be=C2=A0 receiving per a day is ($4.900),as soon as they confirmed your i=
nformatio
n as listed bellow,you be advise to contact our payment officer with your=
full
information listed bellow=20
Receiver name-----------------=20
Country-----------------------------=20
City--------------------------------------=20
Tel----------------------------------------=20
Test question--------------------=20
Answer--------------------------------=20
Mr Ben Patrick Johnson
Tel :+229-97344001
Email:( western.union.paymentcenter002@gmail.com)=20
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=
=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=20
Regards=20
George Udo

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam