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. )
- "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. )
- "we advice you" (this email uses bad English)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "atmoffice914@yahoo.dk" (this email address looks like addresses used in "ATM SWIFT card" 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.
- +22999329056 (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.
- atmoffice914@yahoo.dk (Yahoo, Denmark; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR James Ellen" <fxcouriers_online@yahoo.dk>
Reply-To: atmoffice914@yahoo.dk
Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2012 23:46:48 +0700
Subject: This is your payment mtcn number3090365458,you can see it availabl
but it still unhold

WESTERN UNION AGENT OFFICE DEPARTMENT
ADDRESS: P.O;168 INDUSTRAL ROAD COTONOU BENIN
PLOT C/245 ZONE 6 AGBOJEDO CALIFO
TELEPHONE; +229-99329056
WEB SITE.www.westernunion.com
EMAIL:(atmoffice914@yahoo.dk)

DEAR BENEFICIARY,

CONGRATULATIONS!!,WE ARE HERE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOUR FUND HAS BEEN
TRANSFERRED TO YOU ALLREADY, TO ENABLE YOU TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND IN YOUR
COUNTRY BIT BY BIT IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,500,USD, FOR EACH TRANSFER UNTIL
YOU RECEIVE ALL YOUR TOTAL SUM, FINALLY IT IS OUR PLEASURE TO INFORM YOU
THAT THE YOUR 10,DIGIT MTCN IS READY (PENDING )TILL YOU COMPLETE THE
REQUIRED MODALITIES FOR THE TRANSFER TARIFF FEE CHARGES OF $75,USD ONLY
FOR EACH TRANSFER CHARGES, YOU ARE BEING ADVICE TO KINDLY GO AHEAD AND
SEND US THE REQUIRED FEE, TO ENABLE YOU TO RECEIVE YOUR FIRST (10DIGIT
NUMBER MTCN) PAYMENT, NOTE: WE WILL BE TRANSFERRING BIT BY BITS TILL THE
WHOLE AMOUNT IS BEING TRANSFERRED, WE HAVE ALREADY TRANSFERED $4,500,
DOLLARS IN YOUR NAME THIS AFTERNOON, WE ADVICE YOU TO SEND THE $75DOLLARS
IMMEDIATELY YOU CONFIRM OUR EMAIL, SO THAT THE AMOUNT WILL BE REFLECT INTO
THE WESTERN UNION IN YOUR COUNTRY.

As a matter of fact, Your first payment of $7500.00 USD daily is ready for
you to pick up at Western Union.You can track it online now.
https://wumt.westernunion.com/ asp/orderStatus.asp?country= global

Money Transfer Control Number: 3090365458
Sender First Name: EMEKA
Sender Last Name: ANTHONY
Text Questtion: In God
Answer: We Trust
Amount Sent: $4,500,USD.

YOU WILL SEE IT AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP BUT YOU CAN NOT PICK UP YOUR
PAYMENT, BECAUSE WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO PUT IT ON HOLD UNTIL YOU SEND THE
PAYMENT FOR TRANSFER TARIFF FEE (TTF) WHICH STANDS FOR $75, ONLY FOR EACH
TRANSFER OF $4,500, USD AS NOTED TO YOU. YOUR BEING ADVISE TO KINDLY

FUFFIL THE PAYMENT INFORMATION TO US WITH OUR CLARK OFFICER DETAILS BELOW.

Receiver Name :======Ezeaso Anozie
2.City================Cotonou
3.Country:=============Benin Republic.
4.Question===========very
5.Answer:============urgent
6.Amount:============US$75.Usd
7.WAITING============MTCN

Kindly Forward Your Payment Data, MTCN Control Number, Sender Name and
Address Immedaitely to avoid further delay. As soon as We receive our
Charges We release your payment on hold for you to receive your first
payment, I wish you Good Luck and Congratulation!

YOURS IN SERVICEA/C. OFFICER.
MR James Ellen

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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam