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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "lome togo" (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.
• 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.
  • +22996085287 (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.
  • officefiles@mail.ru

Fraud email example:

From: MR UGO MARK <officefile1@inbox.ru>
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 02:25:42 +0100
Subject: WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER


=20

_SEND MONEY WORLDWIDE_ =20

FROM THE DESK Of WESTERN UNION REMMITANCE DEPT
OUR REF:WUMT0XX2/987 =20

GOOD NEWS, =20

THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER UNITED UNITED
KINGDOM IN THE AMOUNT OF $2.5 MILLION DIRECTED IN CASH CREDITED TO FILE
KTU/9023118308/03, AT THE OWNER OF THIS EMAIL ADDRESS . THE INTERNATIONAL
MONETARY FUND CONTACTED US FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR MONEY A COUPLE OF HOUR=
S
AGO DUE TO YOUR ALLOCATED SECURITY CODE. =20

THEY SAID THAT THEY CHOOSE TO SEND IT TO YOU THROUG WESTERN UNION INSTEAD
OF COURRIER SERVICES BECAUSE THERE'S MANY FAKE COURRIER COMPANY HERE SO W=
E
DONT TRUST ANY OF THEM. WE ARE UNABLE TO COMPLETE A TRANSFER DIRECTED AT =
AN
EMAIL ADDRESS,SO WE REQUIRE SOME MORE INFORMATION IN ORDER TO COMPLETE TH=
IS
TRANSFER. =20

FULL NAME:
FULL CONTACT ADDRESS:
MOBILE PHONE NUMBER:
MARITAL STATUS AND AGE: =20

CONTACT THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WITH THIS E-MAIL
officefiles@mail.ru [1] Phone number +229-9608-5287 DIRECTOR ALBERT ALSON=
=20
COUNTRY TOGO


NOTE: THAT THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE NIGERIAN BENIN/AFRICAN SCAMS THAT ALL
THEY ARE AFTER IS TO RIPE YOU OFF YOUR MONEY AND AT THE END YOU WIL NOT
RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS, BUT NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT SCAM AND IS DIRECTLY FROM T=
HE
MANAGEMENT OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER TOGO REPUBLIC HEAD OFFICE AND
OUR MOTTO IS TO SERVE YOU BETTER. WE WILL BE SENDING YOU $5.000 USD EVERY
DAY BECAUSE TO TRANSFER THE TOTAL MONEY OF $2.5 MILLION USD TO YOUR ACCOU=
NT
WILL COST YOU BIG MONEY FOR THE TRANSFERING CHARGES.THAT IS WHY UNITED
NATIONS GIVE US ORDER TO BE SENDING YOU $5.000 USD EVERY DAY, =20

Contact us on our=20
E-mail; =20

Phone number +229-9608-5287=20
Director Name ALBERT ALSON
COUNTRY ADDRESS LOME TOGO WEST AFRICA=20

ALSO NOTE THAT YOU WILL BE RECEIVEING $5.000 FOR EACH TRANSFER THAT'S HOW
WE ARE GOING TO PAY YOU YOUR $2.5 MILLION USD $5.000 USD PER A DAY. =20

THE MANAGEMENT OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER, BENIN HEAD OFFICE.=20

DISPATCHED THIS DAY=20

BEST REGARDS,
Mr UGO MARK303=20

___WESTERN UNION__(R)
_=20

_WELCOME TO WESTERN UNION_=20

_SEND MONEY WORLDWIDE_=20

_REGISTERED (C) 2007 - 2008 WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER. ALL RIGHT
RESERVED _=20

_THIS EMAIL IS INTENDED FOR THE NAMED RECIPIENT ONLY AND MAY CONTAIN
PRIVILEGDE AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS EMAIL =
IN
ERROR, PLEASE NOTIFY US IMMEDIATELY. PLEASE DO NOT DISCLOSE THE CONTENTS =
TO
ANYONE OR COPY IT TO OUTSIDE PARTIES_

Links:
------
[1] mailto:officefiles@mail.ru

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam