419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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. )
- "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. )
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
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.
- email.westernunion199@yahoo.fr (Yahoo, France; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr.Chisom Goodluck" <fedexmanager2@live.fr>
Reply-To: westernunion288@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 6 Aug 2011 23:50:44 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: YOUR PAYMENT IS READY TO BE PICK UP AS SOON AS YOU SEND THE $110
TODAY

--
Attention; My Dear Customer

This is to inform you that through the board meeting held with the
minister of finance we agreed to release all the over due payment in every
western union office in REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA to the rightful beneficiaries
but the first payment we sent to you was misdirect and on hold because we
misplace your name and address and we want you to reconfirm it to us so we
can resend the the fund to you and start sending the $850.000.00 us
dollars. You are to first pay the sum of $110 transfer of your fund but
our federal western union office said that the owner of the fund most
obtain IMF certificate before we start transfer your fund to you ok , so
I myself ask them if the certificate is needed urgent before we start
transfer your fund to you and they said yes is needed urgent so that every
day we transfer your fund to you, you will pick it up easier without pay
any fee again ok ,

so I understand that the IMF certificate will cover your payment we will
send to you every day because they said that if we don’t obtain
the certificate on behalf now that it will cost you paying fee any day we
transfer your payment to you okay so that is the reason why the IMF state
certificate is very needed so that will cover your payment that we will
send to you every day I think you know that you will start receive your
payment every day as I told you before so my dear the only thing that
delay you to start receive your payment every day is that IMF certificate
so as soon as we obtain it on your behalf you will start receiving your
payment without any delay again.

but my dear listen to me now well the only promise i will give to you
right now is that as far as i am in this office for now you will receive
all your total fund once you follow my advice okay, so they said that the
IMF certificate is very cost before but as of now is only sum of $110
dollars so i Thank God for that .That the certificate does not cost
much money unlike before , so noting pass God every thing is in God
hand, so what I need you to do urgent is to send the fee to obtain the
certificate so that first thing tomorrow morning in my country which is
Friday morning immediately I confirm from you I will drive down to the
federal western union office and obtain the IMF certificate on your
behalf so that if I return to our office the transfer of your funds will
immediately take place.

Take note:That we have already sent the first payment of $5000 but it is
on hold till you send the $110usd then it will be released to you.below
info as stated below.

You can paste our website www.westernunion.com to track your payment.

1. Sender's Name====== anarobi Nneluo
2. MTCN======= 8702204052
3. Text Questions=======: Who created man?
4. Answer=======God
6. Amount:::::.$5000 Today

YOUR PAYMENT IS READY TO BE PICK UP AS SOON AS YOU SEND THE $110 TODAY.

CONTACT US EMAIL.westernunion199@yahoo.fr CONTACT PERSON,MR ADAM JUDE

because I want to make sure that you start receiving your fund from this
week which is from tomorrow morning in my country which is first thing
Thursday morning tomorrow okay , because as soon as i receive the fee
from you your payment will immediately be released to you without any
delay.So my dear try all your best and send the fee as you receive this
mail I sent to you now okay that is only thing that will delay us to start
transfer your fund to you tomorrow okay remember what I told you that if
you follow my advice you will receive you fund easier ok,
Meanwhile we are hereby to notify you about the issue of the IMF)
certificate which will cost you the sum of $110,update us with the payment
information and you are required to send the money with the below
information:

Below is the information you need to make the payment via our services
(Western Union Money Transfer)

SEND THE FEE WITH THIS INFORMATION

1. RECEIVER---------------- NDIVE SAMUEL

2. COUNTRY---------------------NIGERIA
3. CITY---------------------LAGOS
4. TEXT QUESTION------------WHAT RELIGION?
5. ANSWER----------- CHRISTIAN
6. AMOUNT--------------$110 Only
7. MTCN============

As soon as you send the money try to send the complete detail of payment
ok and as soon as the payment is received your transferred payment of
$5000usd will be released to you urgently.

YOURS SINCERELY
MR ADAM JUDE
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION OFFICE REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION OFFICE REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam