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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:

Fraud email example:

From: johnsonadam <johnsonadam1200@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: officefile1@inbox.ru
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 10:51:43 +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
western.union@mail.ru [1] Phone number +229-9608-5287 DIRECTOR ALBERT ALS=
ON

COUNTRY
TOGO=20

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:western.union@mail.ru

Anti-fraud resources: