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. )
- "you are advise to" (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.
- +22968450875 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION <00000ofice7850272@att.net>
Reply-To: wweesterunion@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:32:04 -0800 (PST)
Subject: =?utf-8?B?WU9VUiAoTS5ULkMuTikgNDM0LTIxNC0wNDYzIElTIEFWQUxJQUJMRSBUTyBQ?=
=?utf-8?B?SUNLIFVQ4oCP?=

FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA ROAD
LAGOTES PALAR : TELE NO. +229-68450875
WEB SITE.www.westernunion.comÂ http://site.www.westernunion.com/

ATTN;
Â
THIS IS TO ACKNOWLEGE THE RECEIPT OF YOUR TRANSFER DETAILS, AND YOU ARE ADVISE TO GO TROUGH THIS EMAIL CAREFULLY AND MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND AND READY TO COMPLY WITH THE CONTENTS BEFORE REPLYING TO IT.

WE ARE INSTRUCTED BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF THIS BENIN REPUBLIC TO TRANSFER YOUR PAYMENT TO YOU VIA OUR SERVICE (WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER) SO YOU WILL BE RECEIVING $5,000.00 USD DAILY UNTIL IT COMPLETE THE CORRECT AMOUNT ($1.2 MILLION).

MEANWHILE YOU ARE REQUIRE TO SEND US THE TRANSFER CHARGES WHICH IS $50.00 USD FOR THE $5,000.00 THAT WE HAVE ALREADY REMIT TO YOUR NAME BECAUSE WITH OUT THAT YOU CAN NOT PICK THE MONEY IT IS ON HOLD.

NOTE: THE REASON WHY WE NEED YOU TO SEND US THE $50.00 USD IS THAT WE TRIED TO DEDUCT THE TRANSFERING FEE OUT FROM YOUR FUND BUT THE MINISTER ADMINISTRATOR TRUST FUND OF BENIN REPUBLIC TOLD US THAT NO ONE HAS ACESS OVER YOUR FUND AS IT HAVE BEEN SIGNED AND STAMPED THAT NO MONEY SHOULD BE DEDUCTED UNTIL IT GETS TO YOU TO AVOID ANY MISUNDERSTANDING BECAUSE IF ANY ONE HAS ACESS TO THAT IT WILL INVOLVE YOU LOOSING YOUR FUND, NO ONE HAS TO BE TRUST EVEN YOUR MOTHER OR YOUR FATHER.
Â
HERE IS THE INFORMATION OF THE ONE WE SENT TODAY TO YOU BUT IT WILL REMAIN ON HELD UNTIL YOU SEND US OUR TRANSFER CHARGES OF $50.00 USD BEFORE WE CAN RELEASES IT TO YOU SO YOU CAN TRACK IT WITH OUR WEB SITE.
Â
WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM

PAYMENT DETAILS:
SENDER'S NAME: MARCEL ONWUJEKWE
MTCN NUMBER:Â Â 434-214-0463

FINALY UPDATE US WITH THE $50.00 USD TO ENABLE US PROCEED ON YOUR PAYMENT IMMEDIATELY, BELOW IS THE INFORMATION YOU WILL USE TO REMIT THE $50.00 USD VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER BEEN OUR TRANSFERING CHARGE FOR YOUR $5,000.00 USD.
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
1.RECEIVER NAME:__ CHRISTIAN ANIUKWU
2.COUNTRY: __ BENIN REPUBLIC
3.CITY : __ COTONOU.
4.TEST QUESTION: __ HOW LONG?
5.TEST ANSWER: __ TODAY.
6.AMOUNT: __ $50.00 ONLY

PLEASE I AM EXPECTING YOU WITH WESTERN UNION PAYMENT INFORMATIONâ€™S SO THAT THE TRANSFER WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL CONCLUDE THIS TRANSACTION SUCCESSFUL.
Â
THE MOMENT I RECEIVE THE PAYMENT OF $50.00 I WILL RELEASE THE FIRST PAYMENT INFORMATION OF $5000 TO YOU AND YOU WILL PICK UP THE MONEY AND I WILL SEND YOU ANOTHER PAYMENT OF $50.00.

YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS HIGHLY NEEDED.
Â
REGARDS
PROMISE ANTHONY
TELE: +229 68450875
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam