419 scam: "MRS, MILAN F. NHUYEN" <frank----note123@att.net> FROM HEAD QUARTER POLICE STATION ZOGBO COTONOU INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE BENI

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "clearance certificate" (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 send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (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 send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "clearance certificate" (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 send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "consignment " (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)
- "hundred thousand us dollars" (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)
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "dhl_courierserv@globomail.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- +22998952802 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS, MILAN F. NHUYEN" <frank----note123@att.net>
Reply-To: dhl_courierserv@globomail.com
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2011 21:02:26 -0800 (PST)
Subject: FROM HEAD QUARTER POLICE STATION ZOGBO COTONOU INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE BENIN REPUBLIC WEST AFRICA.

FROM HEAD QUARTER POLICE STATION
ZOGBO COTONOU
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE BENIN REPUBLIC WEST AFRICA.

ATTENTION BENIFICIARY;
THE BOARD OF FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE BENIN REPUBLIC
AREHEREBY TO NOTIFY YOU OF YOUR DELIVERY INHERITANCE FUNDS OF US$850.000 .00
AFTER THE MEETING HELD ON 8TH OF FED 2011.HIS EXCELLENCE THE PRESIDENT OF
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OFBENIN (DR YAYI BONI) HAS INSTRUCTED THIS DEPARTMENT TO
DELIVERY YOUR FUNDS THROUGH OUR BRANCH, DHL COURIER COMPANY,

MY NAME IS MRS, MILAN F. NHUYEN. THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
OF POLICE BENIN REPUBLIC,THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF THIS
COUNTRY BENIN REPUBLIC ARE SENDING YOU THE SUM OF ($850,000.00 USD) FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS WHICH YOU HAVE LOST IN BEFORE BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN
WAITING TO RECEIVE IT FROM MR. JOHN ADAM . WE GOT HIM ARRESTED TODAY BECAUSE HE
DID NOT FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO HIM BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF BENIN
REPUBLIC. THE GOVERNMENT IS REWARDING THIS FUNDS AS ONE OF THE SCAM VICTIM. WE
GOT YOUR EMAIL THROUGH THOSE THAT EXTORT MONEY FROM YOU WHEN THE POLICE GOT THEM
ARRESTED , ONE OF THEM GAVE US YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.

THE PRESIDENT OF THIS
COUNTRY HIS EXCELLENCY MR.YAYI BONI HAS SENT ASIDE THE SUM OF ($850,000.00 USD)
IN CONSIGNMENT TO SEND TO YOU THROUGH DHL COURIER COMPANY. WE THEREBY HAVE MADE
A CONCRETE ARRANGEMENT WITH THE DHL COURIER COMPANY FOR A SAFE DELIVERY TO YOUR
DOOR-STEP ONCE THE BENEFICIARY MEETS UP THE DEMAND OF THE CONVEYANCE. NOTE THAT
ALL THE DELIVERY FEE HAS BEEN PAID ON YOUR BEHALF BUT YOU ARE ADVISE TO SEND
ONLY $68,00 DOLLAR IMMEDIATELY TO OUR OFFICE FOR YOUR CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE
BECAUSE OUR AGENT WILL PROCEED TO DU'BENIN HIGH COURT FIRST THING TOMORROW
MORNING SO THAT HE SHOULD GET THE CERTIFICATE BEFORE YOUR CONSIGNMENT WILL LEAVE
THIS COUNTRY.

THE DHL COURIER AGENT WILL USE THE CERTIFICATE TO OBTAIN
THE TRANSACTION. SO YOU ADVICE TO CONFIRM YOUR INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY FOR
DELIVERY OF YOUR CONSIGNMENT AND ALSO TO ENABLE OUR OFFICE CONFIRM THAT YOU ARE
THE REAL OWNER OF THIS EMAILL ADDRESS TO AVOID ANY MISTAKE. IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU
ARE NOT THE OWNER OF THIS CONSIGNMENT BOX DON'T TRY TO CONTACT BECAUSE IF YOU
DARE YOU WILL BE ARRESTED LIKE THOSE PEOPLE BELOW.

CONTACT PERSON: MR.MICHAEL ROBERT,
CONTACT E-MAIL: DHL_COURIERSERV@GLOBOMAIL.COM
TEL PHONE : +229-98952802

YOUR FULL NAME.......
YOUR
COUNTRY........
YOUR CITY............
YOUR TELEPHONE
NUMBER.........
THE AMOUNT YOU LOST..........
YOUR
PASSPORT..........................

BELOW IS WHERE YOU CAN SEND THE $68.00 TO OUR
PROTOCOL OFFICER.

RECEIVER'S NAME.....MR,OKOYE
UZOR
COUNTRY...............BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY...............COTONOU
TEXT
QUESTION..........THANK
ANSWER.............GOD
AMOUNT. $68,00
YOUR
SENDERS
NAME.................
MTCN.....................................

HERE ARE THE SCAMMERS THAT WERE ARRESTED; MR. JERRY
HERRSON, CHIEF MRS. ROSE A. DOSSOU, MRS CALISTER EKWUEME, MICHAEL ROBERT, MR.
JOHN ADAM AND PRINCE JOHN ANDERSON IN CASE YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam