419 scam: DR MARK JAMES <terry_hedges@yahoo.com> GOOD MORNING; CUSTOMER,

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
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.
- +22997268138 (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.
- westernunionofficedept97@rocketmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: DR MARK JAMES <terry_hedges@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: westernunionofficedept97@rocketmail.com
Date: Tue, 4 Sep 2012 00:04:37 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: GOOD MORNING; CUSTOMER,

GOOD MORNING;
CUSTOMER,

COMPLIMENT OF THE DAY TOGETHER WITH YOUR FAMILY, THIS IS TO
CONFIRM THE RECEIPT OF ORDER FROM THE FEDERAL MINISTER ADMINISTRATOR TRUST FUND
COMMITTEE DATED 29/ 07 / 2012.

IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE AND HONOUR TO
INFORM YOU THAT WE RECEIVED EXPRESS MANDATE AND INSTRUCTIONS FROM MR.PRESIDENT,
DR THOMAS YAYI BONI (GCFR) FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN TOGETHER WITH THE FEDERAL
MINISTER ADMINISTRATOR TRUST FUND COMMITTEE TO COMMENCE THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF
YOUR FUNDS

THROUGH THIS MEDIUM OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER FOR EARSY
CONFIRMATION AND YOU SHOULD BE INFORMED THAT THROUGH THIS MEDIUM OF WESTERN
UNION MONEY TRANSFER THAT YOU ARE ENTITLED TO BE RECEIVING $5,000.00 USD ONLY
PER DAY
UNTIL YOUR TOTAL FUNDS IS COMPLETELY TRANSFERRED TO
YOU
HOWEVER;

THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
WISHS TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR FIRST INSTALMENT PAYMENT SUM OF ($5,000.00 USD)
HAS BEING SENT
IN YOUR ADDRESS THIS MORNING BUT THE PAYMENT HAS PLACE ON HOLD
BECAUSE YOU DID NOT FULFILLED OUR RULES AND REGULATION UNDER FORIEGIN
TRANSACTION,

ACCORDING TO OUR FORIEGIN TRANSACTION STRATEGY THE
TRANSACTION WILL COST YOU SUM OF $46.00 FOR THE SIGNING AND STAMPING FEE OF YOUR
PAYMENT FILE, PLESAE CALL ME WITHIN THIS NUMBER +229-97268138
IMMEDIATELY
OK

BELOW IS YOUR FIRST PAYMENT INFORMATION AND IT IS AVAILABLE TO PICK
UP.

For your convenience check your first $4,500.00 installment
transfer
online at on the space provided at western union
https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=BJ
clicks
Email....<westernunionofficedept97@rocketmail.com>
TRACKING and fill the
bellow information website.

Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN):#
9261341221
Sender's First name------- Joseph
Sender's Lst
name-----ude
Question....What Color?
Answer....White
Amount:
US$5,000USD

SO MY DEAR IN YOUR BEST INTEREST, WE HEREBY ADVISED YOU
TO USE BELOW
INFORMATION AND SEND THE STAMP AND SIGN FEE IMMEDIATELY THROUGH
WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER SO THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO RELEASE THE
FIRST $$5,000.00 USD FOR YOU TODAY

BELOW ARE THE RECEIVER
DETAILS,

RECEIP NAME / Nwaobi Joshua
TEXT QUESTION / HOW
LONG
ANSWER / TODAY
COUNTRY / BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY / COTONOU
AMOUNT
/ $46.00 ONLY

BE RE-ASSURED OF THIS WESTERN UNION INTEGRITY AND PERSONAL
INTEGRITY.
THANKS, I AWAIT YOUR UNGENT RESPOND,

REGARDS
DR MARK
JAMES
TEL:+229-97268138
MANAGER FOREIGN
OPERATION

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam