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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS. HELEN OBALAKU" <mrshelenobalaku@yahoo.fr>
Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:47:03 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: YOUR FIRST PAYMENT MTCN: 612 106 0245


WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER AGENT
LOCATION Western Union Money Transfer
PO Box 6992 Greenwood Village, CO 80155-6992
Cotonou, Benin Rep

Good-Day
Greetings from Western Union Money Transfer Agent Location, PO Box 6992 Greenwood Village, CO 80155-6992, Cotonou, Benin. We have acknowledge the receipt of your email in regards to the immediate release of your ($1.500.000 USD) deposited here by Federal Minister Administrator Trust Fund Committee to send to you through this medium of Western Union Money Transfer. For security reasons and to safe guide of your fund,

We have verified your payment with this exclusive Transaction details:

To confirm your payment Visit: www.westernunion.com

Click tracking

SENDER'S FIRST NAME:.......ROBERT
SENDER LAST NAME.............JOHNSON
TEST QUESTION:............GOD?
TEST ANSWER:............... HONEST.
AMOUNT:....................... .$4,500 USD
MTCN...............................612 106 0245
Status :  Available for pick up by receiver
 
Estimated Exchange Rate and Payout Amount Exchange Rate;1 US Dollar (USD) = 481.6050393CFA Franc BCEAO (XOF)
Payout Amount;

Estimated local currency Sent out = 4,816,051.00CFA Franc BCEAO (XOF)
Estimated local currency Pay out = $4,500.00 US Dollars (USD)

Western Union Fee  =  $250.00
Total           =       Pay Out  $4,750.00
WESTERN UNION PAYMENT INFORMATION:
Sender’s First Name:Robert
Sender’s Last Name: Johnson
Test Question: God:
Answer:      Honest

The payment information was pending as a result of A STOP ORDER NOTIFICATION imposed on your payment by the Federal Ministry of Finance stating that Western Union Money Transfer should hold on in completing your payment as there was a signal from Foreign Monetary Section on International Settlement Unit  that you have not PAID for your Contract Award Payment Normalization which should be the last step before the transfer takes effect.

Based on this development, you are urgently required to pay the sum of $125.00 for the Normalization of your payment award certification by the Ministry of Finance Republic of Benin and you have to pay for the Normalization Fee as a result of the foreign payment regulations of (section 112) paragraph 17D of the Benin Government which was amended in 2004 and in section 427 of 2005 constitution which affects financial alliance. An Payment Normalization Certificate will be issued on your payment file and a copy will be forwarded to you and a copy to our Western Union Department from the Ministry of Finance together with Transfer Approval Writ and we will begin our operation in transferring money to you in next 1 hours ONCE THE 125.00 USD is received and all the correct Western Union pick up details will be forwarding to you and you will pick up the $4,500 from Western Union today.
 
Note: it is our humbly responsibility to make sure that your outstanding funds payment did not go into a wrong hand once you make the payment for the Payment Normalization, as the Ministry of Finance BENIN REPUBLIC (M O F) will be fully responsible to make sure that your funds is been remitted to you on daily basis because they are in close watch over the transfer to monitor the out coming result.

SO YOU WILL ADVISED TO SEND THE NORMALIZATION VIA WESTERN UNION WITH THE INFORMATION GIVEN BELOW;

The Normalization Fee will be paid through Western Union as stated below.
1.RECEIVER NAME:............ Mrs. Obala Tony M.
2.COUNTRY:..........  Republic of Benin
3.CITY :.........Contonu
4.TEST QUESTION:................... Trust
5.TEST ANSWER:......In God
6.AMOUNT:...................$125.00 USD

Send us the MTCN number immediately you send the money and as soon as we confirm the normalization fee of $125.00 we will send you the first receipt of your $4,500 today in no less than 1 hours upon the receipt.

Thanks for your understanding and compliance.

If you have questions or need assistance, our team is here to help. You can call us on +229-68018293 or better still, send us an email.  
 
Best Regards,
MR.ROBERT  JOHNSON
TEl: +229-68018293
Email moneytransferworldwide@w.cn
============================== ====================
Western Union Money Transfer Agent Location, EMS Post Office.Registered No: 1026167Head Office: PO Box 6992 Greenwood Village, CO 80155-6992, Cotonou Bnein Republic. Phone +229-68018293.
============================== ====================

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