419 scam: "Mrs. Stella .J. William"<dr.collins_pathio@yahoo.co.nz> Contact Western Union Office Immediately For Your Payment Now!!!

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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:
- "western union" (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. )
- "wesunion.transfer@w.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
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.
- +22998438550 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Stella .J. William" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wesunion.transfer@w.cn>
Date: Wed, 6 Apr 2011 17:07:27 +0200
Subject: Contact Western Union Office Immediately For Your Payment Now!!!

Dear Client, Be inform that i have been waiting for you since concern your Conformable Bank Draft of $1,5M, United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you for some months now. Then I went to the bank to confirm if the draft has expired or getting near to expire and Dr.James Clee, the Director Bank of Africa told me that before the draft will get to your hand that it will expire. So I told him to cash the $1,5M, USD UNITED STATES DOLLARS to cash payment to avoid losing this funds under expiration as I will be out of the country for a 3 Months Course and I will not come back till ending of September 2011 What you have to do now is to contact WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER DIRECTOR REV. MARTIN TERRY as soon as possible for him to start sending you fund to you as i have reached on agreement with Management of the Western Union to transfer the total fund to you as soon as you contact them for it. The western union money transfer here in Benin Republic agreed with me to be sending the money to you by $7,000.00USD per day so if that is OK for you then kindly get in touch with the western,The only thing the western union office needed from you for then to commence on for the transfer of your fund is the transfer is the below information's Required Information you will send to Western Union for the transfer of your fund. Your Full Name:-........... Current address:-............. Telephone number:-......... Directors Name: REV. TERRY MARTIN, WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER BENIN REPUBLIC Email Address:( wesunion.transfer@w.cn ) Tel/+229 98 43 85 50

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam