419 scam: "MR. GEORGE KOFFI" <western955@yahoo.fr> I wish you Good Luck.Remain Bless.

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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. )
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- +22968367806 (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.
- westernun_i@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. GEORGE KOFFI" <western955@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: westernun_i@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2013 20:43:54 +0100 (BST)
Subject: I wish you Good Luck.Remain Bless.

Attention Please.

This e-mail has been issued to you in order to officially inform you that we have completed an investigation on an International Payment in which was issued to you by an International Lottery Company. With the help of our newly developed technology (International Monitoring Network System) we discovered that your e-mail address was automatically selected by an Online Balloting System, this has legally won you the sum of $2.800, 000.00 USD from a Lottery Company. During our investigation we discovered that your e-mail won the money from an Online Balloting System and we have authorized this winning to be paid to you via a Western Union money transfer and your only require to pay only $87.for the

Besides, my dear, these are the opportunity for you and have to comply and your funds shall be transfer to your designated address. But remember that after ( four 4 days) if you did not make the payment then we will divert your funds to Government Fund, to avoid problem or we will cancel the transfer as for now until next year because this year is not like last year.

After (Four Days) we will enter a new project for the year and that is the reason why we decided to help to all our customers before we enter into the new project. So be advise to send the $87.00 immediately so that we will register your payment for those who will start receiving there payment as from tomorrow. Note that their is no time again for we to call any person on phone unless you will call us after sending the $87.00.

The total amount you have is $2,8Million USA Dollars. Here is the informationâ€™s to send the money so that we will help you complete it because the $87.00 is only money you have to send until you receive all your payment complete, Send the money through western union money transfer below:

RECEIVE NAME: MR.Anarobi John
CITY: COTONOU
COUNTRY: BENIN REPUBLIC
TEXT QUESTION: IN GOD
ANSWER: WE TRUST
AMOUNT: $87.00

I am looking forward to hear from you right way because i hate any thing promise and fail, The amount you have to send now is $87.00 but please make sure that you send the money once you receive this mails so that we will give the full informationâ€™s for you to pick up the first payment immediately. After you send the needed $87.00 before we can give you full informationâ€™s to pick it up today.

I swear to God almighty Father. If I fail to release your payment within 2hours after you send the $87.00 as I promise you that you receive, please I am expecting you with western union payment informationâ€™s so that the transfer will commence immediately without further delay because i believe that we will conclude this transaction successful this year.

As you can see that I swear against because this transaction and also to show you the honest and truth I am?

MTCN NO
SENDER NAME?

Meanwhile you are advice to reconfirm your detail such as
Your full name...........
Your full Address......
And your current working telephone number............
For instant discussion, you are advice to add me on your yahoo messenger with below (westernun_i@yahoo.com)

I wish you Good Luck.Remain Bless.
MR. GEORGE KOFFI
Phone Number:+229-68367806
western union department

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam