419 scam: "Mr. Robert Johnson" <robert.johnson@live.fr> RE: VERY URGENT RESPOND PLEASE ?????.

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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.
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:
- "required fee " (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. )
- "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)
- "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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- +22998192872 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
- +229947894 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- westernuion15@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Robert Johnson" <robert.johnson@live.fr>
Reply-To: westernuion15@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:25:12 +0800 (HKT)
Subject: RE: VERY URGENT RESPOND PLEASE ?????.

Vital Finance Institution
Address 01 BP472 Cotonou Benin
Phone :+229 981 92872
Fax: 00229 947894
westernuion15@hotmail.com
www.westernunion
REF: TRANSFER DETAIL OF ($900,000.00 USD)

Dear: Beneficiary.

We write to inform you that your transfer file of Nine Hundred thousand United State Dollars ($900,000.00USD) has been approved for transfer. The payment will be sent to you installment by Western Union, the amount you will receive per each day is ($4,000.00) (Four thousand Dollars ) The Minister Trust Funds of United Nation have sign for the sending of your standard track details you need to pick up your ( $4,000.00) payment by Western Union payment department every day till you receive the total amount of Nine Hundred thousand United State Dollars.

All your payment transferring Papers were completed now, and your first payment has been sent to you this morning in the Amount of $4,000. but only fee you will pay now is for your Payment Immunity Official Stamp, which cost sum $93.00, that is what you need to do and start picking up your payment without any further delay because all the necessary Papers were completed.

You should Track your first Payment with www.westernunion.com then you will see track and click it, when it open you will see the 3 widows where you will write the MTCN Number, sender first and second name below,

MTCN : 0092584176
Sender's Name--ANTHONY EKWEALOR.

Then You will see your first $4,000. available to pick up but it's on hold.so try send the $93 to stamp the papers to release the fund to you immediately

You should track this MTCN first: 0092584176, and send the required fee of $93.00 immediately, in order to Stamp the Immunity Payment Slip, then you will go direct to the Western Union and pick up your payment and get back to us for sending the rest of Fund to you.
You should contact the Western Union Transfer Service, and send the Immunity Payment Slip fee of $93.00 to them, so that you will pick up your first payment of $4,000.00 in any nearest Western Union office in your City. Here is the information to contact the Western Union Int, Transfer Service below:

Director, Mr.John Morris.
Email: westernuion15@hotmail.com
Telephone: +229-9819-2872

You should send the fee below this information,
Receiver/////// Marcel N. Onwujekwe.
Location///////// Cotonou Benin Republic.
City//////////// Port-novo
Question/////// How Long?
Answer///////// NOW.

Do not delay any further to send the fee today, to enable you to pick up the first payment today or tomorrow and start sending you the rest.

Yours Sincerely

Mr. Robert Johnson.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam