419 scam: International Treasury Department <officefrontdesk@pop.com.br> Attention and Greetings

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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:

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. )
- "cotonou" (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.
- +22998124803 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
- +229 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: International Treasury Department <officefrontdesk@pop.com.br>
Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2011 20:02:27 -0300
Subject: Attention and Greetings

International Treasury Department=20
Contact Person Mr. Collins Lumba .
Address=A0 14 Rue de Jerico City=A0 Cotonou
Province/State=A0 Country/Region=A0 Benin=20
Zip Code=A0 00229 Phone Number=A0 +229-98124803=20
Attention and Greetings:=20

I am Mr. Collins Lumba, The Chair person in charge of Treasury Department, I=
nternational wire transfers of Benin Republic Federal Ministry of Finance.=
=20

I want to inform you that your Payment File was brought to my desk today to =
Cancel because the director & management of the WESTERN UNION MONEY transfer=
have decleared to divert your fund to the government treasury account just =
because you can not pay the signed wire transfer fee. In reasoning wisely to=
this complain i told them to wait untill i hear from you today so that i wi=
ll know the reason why you decide to rejected such amount of money USD$2.5Mi=
llion which is your righful & legal overdue inheritance payment just because=
of signed wire transfer fee.

The reason why i sent this email to you is because its your sweat and for th=
is reason you still have this last chance to claim your fund if you can send=
USD$55.00 today because i have already arranged your wires ready for its da=
ily wires to you but failling to do this, i will allow them to have power ov=
er your fund and am very sorry if you failed as this is the last chance.

Therefore, send the USD$55.00 immediately you receive this email today and e=
mail your full name and address to me if you want your USD$2.5Million be sen=
d to you by western union money transfer but the maximum amount officially a=
llow for it per day day wire to you is USD$6,000.00 per day until you receiv=
e your complete USD$2.5Million from here .=20

The second option is for you to send me the full detail of your bank account=
if you want your fund be fully transfer by direct bank to bank wire transfe=
r to your account at once. After you have sent the $55.00 and email me the m=
tcn numbers, you are to indicate your wish to receive your funds as i have s=
tated above and the funds will be release to you without any hintch.

Here is the western union information in the name of my accountant to avoid =
delay in receiving your fund and remember that i have done my best for you a=
nd i will make sure that your wire will begin to be releasing to you from th=
e moment you sent this $55.00 .
Send the $55.00 now and send me email with the western union mtcn numbers wh=
en you send the money , you can aswell call me on this number +229-98124803=
=A0 when you have sent the money now ok .=20

Receivers Name:...Anagor L. Ifezue
Pay-Out Country:... Benin-Republic
Pay-Out City : Cotonou.
Test Question:.. OUR HOPE
Answer :.. GOD.
Amount to send: ...$55.00
SEND MTCN NUMBER....

Send it and email the MTCN control number, amount sent, name and address of =
sender to me for easy collection=20

Thanks .
Mr. Collins Lumba .
Treasury Department, International=20
Wire transfers, Federal Ministry of Finance Benin Republic.
Telephone: +229-98276722

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam