419 scam: "International Treasury Department" <restoration_investgative@yahoo.com> URGENT MESSAGE!

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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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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.
- +22997948648 (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.
- restoration_investgative@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "International Treasury Department" <restoration_investgative@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:19:02 +0200
Subject: URGENT MESSAGE!

International Treasury Department
Contact Person Mr. Collins Lumba .
Address 14 Rue de Jerico City Cotonou
Province/State Country/Region Benin
E-mail: restoration_investgative@yahoo.com
Phone Number +229-9794 8648

Attention and Greetings:

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

I want to inform you that your Payment File was brought to my desk today
for Cancellation 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 signing wire transfer
fee. In reasoning wisely to this complain I told them to wait untill I
hear from you today so that I will know the reason why you decided to
reject such amount of money USD$2.5Million which is your righful & legal
overdue inheritance payment just because of signing fee.

The reason why I sent this email to you is because this your last chance
to claim your fund if you can send USD$105.00 today because I have
already arranged your funds ready for its daily wires to you but
failling to do this, I will allow them to have power over your fund and
am very sorry if you failed as this is the last chance.

Therefore, send the USD$105.00 immediately you receive this email today
and email your full name and address to me if you want your
USD$2.5Million to be send to you by western union money transfer but the
maximum amount officially allow for it per day is USD$6,000.00 until you
receive your complete USD$2.5Million from here .

The second option is for you to send me the full detail of your bank
account if you want your fund to be fully transferred by direct bank to
bank wire transfer to your account at once. After you have sent the
$105.00 and email me the MTCN numbers, you are to indicate your wish to
receive your funds as I have stated 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 and I will make sure that your FUND will begin to be releasing
to you from the moment you sent this $105.00 .
Send the $105.00 now and send me email with the western union MTCN
numbers when you send the money , you can as well call me on this number
+229-9794 8648 when you have sent the money.

Receivers Name: Nnamah Osita
Pay-Out Country: Benin-Republic
Pay-Out City: Cotonou.
Test Question: OUR HOPE
Answer : GOD.
Amount to send: $105.00

Send it and email the Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN), Name and
address of sender to me for easy collection

Thanks .
Mr. Collins Lumba .
Treasury Department International
Federal Ministry of Finance Benin Republic.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam