419 scam: "Smith." <jimna2044@gmail.com> HERE IS THE INFORMATION YOU WILL USE TO SEND THE $45 USD TODAY.

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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:

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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "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 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.
- westernunio14@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Smith." <jimna2044@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 24 May 2011 19:30:08 +0100 (BST)
Subject: HERE IS THE INFORMATION YOU WILL USE TO SEND THE $45 USD TODAY.

ATTN. BENEFICIARY THE OWN

AFTER OUR OFFICIAL VERIFICATION PERUSAL WE HAVE OBTAIN FACTS THAT YOU ARE THE BONAFIDE BENEFICIARY OF THE FUND VALUED AT ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS DEPOSITED IN OUR OFFICE BY THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN THROUGH FUND VAULT KTU/9023118308/03 FROM UNITED NATION, SINCE THIS FUND WAS GIVEN BY THE PARIS CLUB INTERNATIONAL ON YOUR NAME WE NEVER HEARD FROM YOU TILL NOW, WE WANT TO USE THIS OPPURTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR THIS IMMENSELY DONATION GIVEN TO YOU BY THE PARIS CLUB INTERNATION.

PLEASE YOU ARE ADVISE TO GO THROUGH THIS EMAIL CAREFULLY AND MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND AND COMPLY WITH THE CONTENTS BEFORE REPLYING. WE ARE INSTRUCTED BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF BENIN TO TRANSFER YOUR FUND TO YOU VIA OUR INSTALMENTALLY TRANSFER THROUGH OUR SERVICE (WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER) SO YOU WILL BE RECIEVING $5,000.00 USD DAILY UNTILL THE SUCCESFUL INSTALMENTAL TRANSFER OF YOUR TOTAL FUND OF ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS ($1,500,000.00 USD).

MEANNING THAT YOU WILL BE RECEIVING YOUR $5,000 USD TILL THE NEXT THREE HUNDRED DAYS WHICH IS THE NUMBER OF DAYS REQUIRED FOR YOU TO RECEIVE YOUR TOTAL FUND OF ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS.

MEAN WHILE YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SEND US THE TRANSFER CHARGES WHICH IS $45 USD FOR THE $5,000.00 THAT WE HAVE ALREADY TRANSFERRED TO YOUR NAME BUT CANNOT BE PICK BECAUSE IT WAS PLACE ONHOLD BY THE MANAGEMENT. REASON, BECAUSE WE INTEND TO DEDUCT THE TRANSFERING FEE OUT FROM YOUR TOTAL FUND BUT THE FINANCIAL TRUST FUND COMMITTEE OF BENIN REPUBLIC PROOF IN ACCORDIANCE TO UNITED NATION FINANCIAL EDITS OF 1990 AS RELATED TO INTERNATIONAL FUND TRANSFER POLICY AS AGREED WITH WESTERN UNION ACTS THAT NO ONE HAS RIGHT OVER YOUR FUND AS IT HAVE BEEN SIGNED AND STAMPED THAT NO MONEY SHOULD BE DEDUCTED FROM YOUR FUND UNTIL IT ALL GETS TO YOU TO AVOID ANY MAL-PRACTICE IN MAKING ACCESSIVE DEDUCTION FROM YOUR FUND, BE INFORMED THAT IF THE POLICY IS NOT OBSERVE IT MIGHT INVOLVE CURRUPTION WHICH IN OTHERWORDS MIGHT LEAD YOU LOOSING YOUR FUND, THEREFORE TAKE NOTE THAT WE CANNOT DEDUCT YOUR TRANSFER FEES FROM YOUR FUND.

HERE IS THE INFORMATION OF THE ONE WE SENT TODAY TO YOU BUT IT WILL REMAIN ON HOLD UNTIL YOU SEND US OUR TRANSFER CHARGES OF $45 USD BEFORE WE CAN RELEASE THE FIRST $5000.00USD TO YOU,TRACK THIS MTCN WITH THIS WEB SITE (WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM) FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT WHAT I,AM SAYING IS REAL. E-mail ( westernunio14@yahoo.com)

Sender's Name===== Samuel Ekwegbeli
SENDERCOUNTY=====BENIN REPUBLIC
TEST QUESTION====WHEN
ANSWER======NOW
MTCN=====963-066-8984
Amount====$5000.00USD

HERE IS THE INFORMATION YOU WILL USE TO SEND THE $45 USD TODAY.

Receiver's Name....... MARCEL MMELIKA
City.............................COTONOU
Country.......................BENIN REPUBLIC
Text Question...............HONEST
Answer........................TRUST
Amount...................... USD $45 usd
MTCN............................
SENDER NAME....................
I AM WAITING FOR YOUR CALL ONCE YOU SEND THE FEE OF $45 PLEASE EMAIL ME YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER BECAUSE I NEED TO BE CALLING YOU ONCE WE SEND ANY PAYMENT FOR THE INFORMATIONS.
THANKS
Mr. Nwabunwanne E. Chinedu

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam