419 scam: OFFICE FILE <oficefile@postafiok.hu> YOUR MTCN: 1536432755

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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. )
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "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.
- +22998556769 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: OFFICE FILE <oficefile@postafiok.hu>
Reply-To: western_union.20@live.com
Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 22:33:08 +1200 (NZST)
Subject: YOUR MTCN: 1536432755

FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA ROAD OPPOSITE TUNDE MOTORS COTONOU .
ATTENTION
WE ARE INSTRUCTED BY UNITED NATIONS WORLD WIDE IN CONJUCTION WITH ECONOMICCOMMUNITEE OF WEST AFRICA STATES COMMISSION COMPENSATION ORGANIZATIONS,TOSENDYOUR COMPESATION FUNDS OF $950,000.00USD TO YOUR CITY WESTERN UNION OFFICE FROM HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC OFFICE OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER DEPARTMENT AND YOU WILL BE RECEIVING YOUR FUND ( $4,000.00 U.S.D ) PER DAY UNTIL YOU RECEIVE ALL YOUR TOTAL PAYMENT WHICH IS THE SUM OF $950,000.00 USD AS ITS SCHEDULED IN OUR HEAD OFFICE HERE.
THE MONEY IS AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP BY RECEIVER ( YOU ) SO TRACK IT ANDCONFIRM YOUR PAYMENT AVAILABLE.BUT YOU CAN NOT CASH IT OUT IN ANY WESTERN UNION OFFICE DUE TO ITS RESTRICTION FROM OUR HEAD OFFICE, WHICH WAS A SECURITY MEASURE BECAUSE THE MONEY HAS BEEN IN THE AIR FOR THREE DAYS NOW AND MAYBE IN DANGER, HENCE THE MTCN HAS TO BE REACTIVATED TO ENABLE YOU CASH OUT THE MONEY IN ANY WESTERN UNION OFFICE IN YOUR AREA, THE REACTIVATION OF THE MTCN WILL COST YOU A TOKEN OF $187,ONCE THIS IS PAID, OUR HEAD OFFICE WILL RELEASE THE FUND ON HOLD TO ENABLE YOU CASH IT
TO BE SURE OF THIS PLEASE LOG ON WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM AND CLICK ON TRACKINGTRANSFER THEN ENTER THE SENDER'S INFO AND MTCN BELOW. HIDE QUOTED TEXT -
SENDER'S FIST NAME: JAMESSENDER'S LAST NAME: EYORAMTCN: 1536432755QUESTION: TRUSTANSWER: HONESTAMOUNT: $5000.00USD
TOTAL AMOUNT TO BE CASHED:$950,000.00 USD.
WITH DUE RESPECT PROCEED AHEAD WITH THIS BELLOW INFORMATION AND SEND THE$187 TO US FOR THE REACTIVATION OF YOUR PAYMENT MTCN AS MATTER OF URGENCY TOENABLE US COMMERNCE WITH YOUR IMMEDIATE TRANSFER WITHOUT ANY KIND OF DELAY:
RECEIVER NAME EDWIN NONSOCOUNTRY BENIN REPUBLICCITY COTONOUTEST QUESTION WHENTEST ANSWER NOWAMOUNT $187USD
WE ARE WAITING FOR YOUR UEGENT RESPONSE TO ENABLE THIS OFFICE KNOW YOURARRANGEMENT FOR THE PAYMENT AND WE WILL ALSO ADVICE YOU TO KEEP YOURTRANSACTION WITH US VERY CONFIDENTIAL/SCERECT SO THAT NOBODY WILL PICK YOURFUND BECAUSE WE WILL NOT BE HOLD RESPONSIBLE IF ANYBODY PICK UP YOUR FUNDFROM YOUR END.
THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AS WE ARE WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT CALL SOON.
BEST REGARDS,DR CHRIST BENFORIGN OPERATION MANAGERWESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLICTELEPHONE: +229 9855-6769THIS IS OUR CONDUCT CODE (303)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam