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. )
- "money gram" (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)
- "interl.departm2@msn.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "interl.departm2@msn.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.
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.
- +22991547854 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT FINANCIAL BANK $Foreign Operation Dept$" <info.departmoffice@gmail.com>
Reply-To: interl.departm2@msn.com
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2011 18:36:18 +0100 (BST)
Subject: =?utf-8?B?SSBBTSBBVCBKRksgSU5URVJOQVRJT05BTCBBSVJQT1JULVVSR0VOVCBSRVBM?=
=?utf-8?B?WS7igI8=?=

Attnention Please,
Â
Iâ€™mÂ Mr. Williams Peter & Wilfred Prosper, We have been trying to reach you on your telephone and email about an hour now just to inform you about my successful arrival in John F.Kennedy International Airport with your two boxes of Atm card worth $1.2m one million two Hundred Thousand Dollars which I have been instructed by FEDEX COURIER DELIVERY COMPANY to be delivered to you. The Airport authority demanded for all the legal back up papers to prove to them that the fund is no way related with drug nor fraud money, I have presented the papers I handed to them and they are very much pleased with the paperâ€™s I presented but the only thing that is still keeping me here is the airport delivery Tag which is not placed on the ATM CARD, one of the Airport Authority has advise that we get the delivery tag so that I can exit the airport immediately and make my delivery successful.

Â I try to reason with them and they stated the delivery tag will cost us just $42(US$) Dollars only to get the tag placed on the Atm card as that tag will enable me get to your house successfully without any interference,they scanned the Atm card and found out that the fund is 100 % spend able and accepted by any bank in the whole world. and please you have to understand that i am still at jfk international airport waiting for you to comply with the payment details and every informations.
Â
Please try and reach me with my Call international roaming number +229-91547854 and you can still reach me and AGENT NAME: Paul George. Tele: +1 206-426-6305. Fax: +1 206-426-6017. as I can not afford to spend more time here due to other delivery I have to take care of in Bangkok. Here are the papers backing the funds together with my ID CARD as I can accompany you to your bank were you will deposit the fund successfully with these papers. I have i more vital paper with me but I can only present you the hard copy when I reach your house as that itâ€™s the diplomatic rules, such as authorization to deliver.
Â
You can direct the tag fee to our Head Office as they will get it here for you and they are entitled to receive and make any payment to foreign countries authority. Please get back to us via email:Â interl.departm2@msn.com
Furthermore remember the Agent delivering the package does not know the content of that of the package So act on your party by sending the $42 (US$) via western union or money gram only with the below details:
Â
Senders Name:----
Recivers name:---- Sampson Akushie
Country:--- Benin Republic
City:-- Cotonou
Text Question.----Who is our savior?
Answer ---The Lord Jesus.
MTCN:-------
Amount:--$42(US$)
Â
Send the money via western union money transfer or money gram, and forward the payment informations to us for easier pick up. Because of you don't respond to us again that is the reason why we belived that you are dead. Forward the MTCN, Q and A to this email : interl.departm2@msn.com to enable us issue the transfer to your position accordingly. Please try all you can to send this fee today and call the agent today. AGENT NAME: Paul George. Tele: +1 206-426-6305. Fax: +1 206-426-6017. Please note that the delivery agent must deliver your card to you by today if you can comply with the requirement by this morning.

Waiting to hear from you soon.

Thanks and we remain the Financial Bank Customer care promising to serve
you better.
Regard
Mr. Williams Peter & Wilfred Prosper.
I am presently at the International Airport

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam