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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.

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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "required 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 ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
• 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.
  • +22997345603 (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.
  • benmike1@hotmail.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2008 19:34:23 +0100
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Western_Union_Payment_Information_To_You?=


FROM THE DESK OF MR BEN MIKE
FINANCIAL MINISTER OF FREDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
FOREIGN CONTRACTOR PAYMENT OFFICE.
TEL +229-9734 56 03 FAX+229-93-202-545.
Email: benmike1@hotmail.fr
---------------------------------------------------------
Attention My Dear Friend,
The Board of Federal Ministry of Finance Benin Republic are here to notify you of your payment inherited funds of US$1.5 MILLION after the meeting held on 28th of April 2008.
His Exelence the PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN DR YAYI BONI has Instructed this Department to send your funds through western union money transfer for easier receiving of your inherinted funds without any further delay to avoid paying money to the fraud stars that is going on through the global.
You are required to send your name and address where you want your fund to be send through western union. The maximium amount you will be receiving each day starting from tomorrow is the sum of $7000.00 also you are required to send us the sum of $125 dollar for re-newing and re-cofirming your file that was deposited in this office with your name and address bellow:

Beneficiarey name----------------------------
Address--------------------------------
Tel phone-----------------------------
Contact me with this informations below:
CONTACT PERSON: Mr Ben Mike
EMAIL: benmike1@hotmail.fr
As soon the required fee of $125 is send for the renewing and reconfirming the payment file of your funds, you will start receiving your funds as from tomorrow.
Kindly Send the $125 dollar through western union with the name and address below:
Receiver name -------------------------Mr Ubah Iwunor Francis
City----------------------------------------COTONOU
Country-----------------------------------BENIN REPUBLIC
Test Question-------------------------------IN GOD
Test Answer----------------------------------WE TRUST
Amount---------------------------------------------$125.00
We await to receive the western union payment informations today to enable us go ahead in sending the funds to you through western union as well.
Yours in service
Mr Ben Mike
Finance Minister
Federal republic of Benin


---------------------- ALICE N°1 de la RELATION CLIENT 2008*--------------------
Découvrez vite l'offre exclusive ALICE BOX! En cliquant ici http://abonnement.aliceadsl.fr Offre soumise à conditions.*Source : TNS SOFRES / BEARING POINT. Secteur Fournisseur d.Accès Internet

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam