419 scam: Interpol - Anti-Fraud International <unionwestern223@yahoo.com> How are you today?

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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:
- "clearance fee" (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. )
- "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. )
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "economic and financial crimes commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "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.
- +22998913791 (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.
- interpol.command@rocketmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Interpol - Anti-Fraud International <unionwestern223@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: interpol.command@rocketmail.com
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:41:06 +0800 (CST)
Subject: How are you today?

Inspector General of Fraud
International Interpol Police Force
Interpol - Anti-Fraud
International
Cotonou,
Benin Republic
Tel: +229 98913791/

How are you today?

You are welcome to desk of
Chief MR.ISAAC MOHAMED Public Information Officer.inspector general of
International Interpol Police Force Investigating Benin
Republic. We are Working towards a corruption-free world by
promoting and defending integrity, justice and the rule of law' Mission
statement of the International Anti-Corruption Academy,We cover West African
Countries.

I thought i have sent you a
message today?

Syndicates through Western
Union Money Transfer or Money Gram, your name was found in Western Union Money
Transfer database amongst those that have sent money through Western Union Money
Transfer to Nigeria and Abidjan - Cote D'Ivoire and Cotonou
Benin with
Orthers West Africa this proves that you have truly been swindled by those
unscrupulous persons by sending money to them in the course of getting one fund
or the other that is not real.

Well, the reason why I am
contacting you now is just to let you know that we have retrieve the $2.5million
dollars from the Western Union and Money Gram because we find out that they are
delaying to transfer the fund to you and using that medium to extort money out
from you which is not normal.

Right now we are working hand
in hand with Western Union and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
to track every fraudsters down, do not respond to their e-mails, letters and
phone calls any longer they are scammers and you should be very careful to avoid
being a victim to fraudsters any longer because they have nothing to offer you
but to rip-off what you have worked hard to earn.

So when we find out this delay
we quickly inform our Presidency and Chambers Justice High Court the situation
of thing he now and there gave us authorization letter to meet with the Western
Union Money Transfer Benin And Nigera and retrieve the fund out which we did
today.

Please we are very sorry for
the plight you have gone through in the past With the Western Union Money
Transfer Benin And Nigera, We hereby officially notify you about the present
arrangement to pay you your over due contract/inheritance funds which you did
not complete the process of the released of your transfer pin code through the
Digitalized Payment System.

We have decided to pay your
funds through (ATM Master Express Credit Card).Be inform that your (ATM Card
Number;5278763100030014) has been ccredited in your favor.Your Personal
Identification Number is 2900.Your ATM Card Value with the $2.5 MILLION USD.
This arrangement was constituted by the Presidency and Chambers Justice High
Court,

The Presidency and Chambers
Justice High Court introduce this payment arrangement as to enable our
contractors/inheritance beneficiary to receive their funds without any
interference. The ATM Master Express Credit Card was contracted and powered by
GOLD CARD WORLD WIDE.

We have decided to waive away
all your clearance fees/Charges and authorize the Government of Benin to effect
the payment of your compensation of an amount of $2.5M approved by both the
Presidency and Chambers Justice High Court to receive your ATM CARD without any
delay.The only fee you will pay to receive your ATM CARD is your Notarization
fee and the Cost of the Notarization fee is $85.00, Upon the receipt of this
information we will proceed to dispatch the card directly to your nominated
mailing address.

Below is where you can send the
85.00 US Dollars for the proceed today.

Receiver: Edwin
Lawrence

Country...............Republic
of Benin
City.................Cotonou
Text Question..........what
code.
Answer.............229.
Amount
US$85.00
Mtcn.................
Your senders conutry.............
Send
the scan copy of the payment slip.

You absolutely have nothing to
worry about as all we need is your prompt response and co-operation. I expect
you to comply so that the delivery can be completed, If you do not comply then
it will not be our fault. Note; do not honour any message that will come from
those scams Western Union Or Money Gram.

The picture of those men in office

I repeat your money $2.5million
dollars is no more with Western Union banks here, Do not answer or honour any
email message stating that your money is with them. Any such message you receive
forward it to me for verification. And do not send any body money until I
confirm who the person is.

So go ahead and send the
required charges of $85,00usd and after that we will make sure that this CARD
reaches you within 24hrs,it is for you own good,to enable the card to be
delivered to you as quickly as possible ,we also use this means to assure you
that this is the only money you are going to spend,

Remember if you feel reluctant
to claim it ,we will cancel your name and sign it on the victim waitiing on line
to claim his/her compensation funds.
Yours sincerely,

ISAAC MOHAMED
Assistant
Investigation Officer.
The International police Crimes Commission
(I.P.U.C)
Rue/056 akpakpa Cotonou Benin Republic
E-mail; interpol.command@rocketmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam