419 scam: "MR. PAUL MICHAEL." <h112@globomail.com> WESTERN UNION HEAD OFFICE DEPARTMENT REPUBLIC OF BENIN,

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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. )
- "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.
- +22967542733 (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.
- uwestern7@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. PAUL MICHAEL." <h112@globomail.com>
Reply-To: uwestern7@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2012 22:39:06 +0100 (BST)
Subject: WESTERN UNION HEAD OFFICE DEPARTMENT REPUBLIC OF BENIN,

ATTN:
OUR ESTEEM CUSTOMER,
CONGRATULATIONS THAT I BORROWED $197.00
YESTERDAY FROM MY PASTOR IN THE CHURCH. THEN AMOUNT YOU HAVE TO SEND NOW IS ONLY
$88.00 BUT I DON'T SEE THE REASONÂ YOU HAVE TO KEEP SILENT ON ME, IS IT BECAUSE
OF THE MONEY? ANY WAY THEIR IS GOOD NEWS THAT I RAISE SOME MONEY TO USE HELP YOU
OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT YOUR PAYMENT WILL BE RELEASE TO YOU WITHIN 3HOURS AFTER
YOU SEND THE REMANING $88.00 AS I WANT IT.

I KNOW IT IS BECAUSE OF YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE
THAT MAKE YOU NOT TO BELIEVE ME BUT I TOLD YOU BEFORE MY GOD WHO IS MY WITTINESS
THAT I CANNOT DECEIVE YOU BECAUSE MY BIBLE SAYS WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN TO
GAIN MATERIAL THINGS AND LOOSE YOUR SOUL. I TOLD YOU EARLIER JUST DROP YOUR OLD
EXPERIENCE AND FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTION A MAN OF GOD AND YOU WILL KNOW WHAT IT
MEANS TO FOLLOW SOMEBODY THAT FEAR GOD.

HONESTLY I AM JUST DISAPPOINTED AT YOUR
BEHAVIORS BEFORE BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT I AM MAN OF GOD AND CANNOT DECEIVE YOU.
JUST PAY THE $88.00 AND LEAVE ME AND MY GOD BECAUSE GOD IS WATCHING ME IF I AM
TELLING YOU LIES. YOU TOO PAYMENT IS ALREADY APPROVAL TODAY FOR YOU TO RECEIVE
IT BUT THE MANAGEMENT HERE SAYS THAT YOU MUST PAY $88.00 FOR THE SECOND PAYMENT
TRANSFER CHARGE BEFORE YOU CAN RECEIVE THE PAYMENT TODAY. AFTER TRACKING THE
PAYMENT PLEASE SEND THE CHARGE THROUGH WESTERN UNION IMMEDIATELY.
BELOW;

I SWEAR TO GOD ALMIGHTY FATHER. IF I FAIL TO
RELEASE YOUR TOO PAYMENT WITHIN 3HOURS AFTER YOU SEND THE $88.00 AS I PROMISE
LET GOD TAKE MY LIFE, I CANNOT FAIL YOU, I PROMISE YOU. DONâ€™T FEAR AS SOON AS
YOU SENT THE $88.00 TODAY PLEASE LEAVE THE REST TO ME AND SEE IF I AM LIE TO YOU
OR NOT BECAUSE I CAN NOT USE MY LIFE SWEAR BECAUSE OF $88.00 HOW CAN I SWEAR
AGAINST MY LIFE BECAUSE OF THIS SMALL AMOUNT, IT IS TO SHOW YOU THAT I AM
TELLING YOU THE TRUTH?

HERE IS THE INFORMATIONS TO SEND THE MONEY
TO WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER BELOW;

1.RECEIVER
NAME=====MR.LAWRENCE IGBANUGO

2.
COUNTRY===BENIN REPUBLIC/
3CITY COTONOU
3. QUESTION======IN GOD
4.
ANSWER=======WE TURST
5.AMOUNT=======$88.00

I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU
WITH THE PAYMENT DETAIL WITH THIS E-MAILL ADDRSS ::( uwestern7@gmail.com)MTCN NO
SENDER NAME?

MR. PAUL MICHAEL.
TEL
+229-67542733
WESTERN UNIONÂ HEAD OFFICE DEPARTMENT
REPUBLIC OF BENIN.

FOREGN CONTRACTOR PAYMENT OFFICE
THIS IS OUR CONDUCT CODE (
303)

WESTERN UNIONÂ HEAD OFFICE DEPARTMENT
REPUBLIC OF BENIN,

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam