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:

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. )
- "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.
- +22968347823 (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.
- western_unionmon1764@sunumail.sn (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS.ROSE DOSSOU" <m112@sunumail.sn>
Reply-To: western_unionmon1764@sunumail.sn
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2013 07:52:58 -0200
Subject: Urgently call MR.ANTHONY ROBERT for your funds $2.500, 000 USA
DOLLARS with them.

Hello Dear,
How are you today? I write to inform you that we have already sent you
$5000.00 usd dollars through Western union as we have been given the
mandate to transfer your full compensation payment total sum of
$2.5Million USD,via western union by this governemnt.I was calling your
telephone number to give you the information through phone but you did not
pick up my calls through out that yesterday even this morning.Now,I
decided to email you the MTCN and sender name so that you will pick up the
$5000.00 usd to enable us send another $5000.00 usd today as you know we
will be sending you only $5000.00 usd per day.and it was agreed that you
will pay the sum of $175before they will realease the payment to you.

Please pick up this information and run to western union to pick up the
$5000.00 usd and call Director of Opration MR.ANTHONY ROBERT.because he is
the person incharge for your payment so that he can send you another
payment today, phone line +229
68347823,Email:(western_unionmon1764@sunumail.sn) email Him once you
picked up the $5000.00 USD today.Here is the western union information to
pick up the $5000.00; which you will be receiving your payment $5000.00 Us
Dollars immediately you sent them their transfer charge of $175 and it
will serve as re-confirmation of your file payment from the office in
charge.

So you are to re-confirm to them the below information,
Your. Receiver----------
Your. Country-------
Your. City-----------
Your. Tel----------
Your. Test question------
Your. Answer-----------
Your..Passport-----------

Here Is The Payment information of your first payment that has been
transfer but it's still on hold till you send the transfer charge so you
can track it now and confirm that it's available for pick up then once you
send the transfer charge today, we will release it immediately to enable
you pick it today.

PAYMENT INFORMTION

SENDERS NAME: JAY JONES
MTCN: 2968311830
Amount: $5000
WEBSITE; WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM TRACK IT AND BE SURE OK.

And We Are Waitng For You To Send The $175 Today

RECEIVER:..............MR.NALCO MARCEL
LOCATION CITY:.........COTONOU-BENIN
COUNTRY:...............BENIN
TEXT QUESTION:.........HONEST?
ANSWER:................TRUST
AMOUNT:................$175 Only

Be advise that the $175 is a compulsory as they told me that is only
money you will pay until you receive your payment completely I am waiting
for your call once you pick up this $5000.00 usd,Please email me your
direct telephone number because I need to be calling you once we send any
payment for the informations..

Regards
MRS.ROSE DOSSOU
Tellphone +22998078883

___________________________

Aviso de confidencialidade:

- Esta mensagem da Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa), empresa pública federal regida pelo disposto na Lei Federal nº 5.851, de 7 de dezembro de 1972, é enviada exclusivamente a seu destinatário e pode conter informações confidenciais, protegidas por sigilo profissional. Sua utilização desautorizada é ilegal e sujeita o infrator às penas da lei. Se você a recebeu indevidamente, queira, por gentileza, reenviá-la ao emitente, esclarecendo o equívoco.

Confidentiality note:

- "This message from Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa), a government company established under Brazilian law (5.851/72), is directed exclusively to its addressee and may contain confidential data, protected under professional secrecy rules. Its unauthorized use is illegal and may subject the transgressor to the law's penalties. If you are not the addressee, please send it back, elucidating the failure".

___________________________

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam