419 scam: "Mr. H.M. Alex Kamara" <hillsmark411@gmail.com> Your urget response is highly needed

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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "22 garden close, stamford" (address often used in fake lottery scams)
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "required 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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. H.M. Alex Kamara" <hillsmark411@gmail.com>
Reply-To: wuwestunion0@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2014 12:00:34 +0100
Subject: Your urget response is highly needed

>From The Desk of Mr. Alex Kamara
Western Union Promotion 22 Garden Close,
Stamford, Lincs, PE9 2YP Cotonou Benin Republic
Foreign Contractor Payment Office,

Attn: Winner

This is to inform you that you have been selected for a cash prize of
£550,000.00 ( Five hundred and fifty thousand Great British Pounds )
from the Western Union Money transfer Promotion International
programs held on Tuesday the 22nd of April 2014, in Cotonou Benin
Republic

The selection process was carried out through random selection in our
computerized email selection system (ESS) from a database of over
250,000 email addresses drawn from all the continents of the world
which you were selected.

The Western Union Promotion is approved by the British Gaming Board
and also licensed by the International Association of Gaming
Regulators (IAGR). This promotional lottery is the 4th of its kind and
we intend to sensitize the public.

To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact our fiduciary
claims department for more information as regards procedures to claim
your prize. Your claims have been approved and will only be redeemed
at western union money transfer head office in Cotonou Benin Republic,
contact immediately to redeemed your prize.

But remember that it will cost you the sum of $105 for activation upon
cashing up of your payment and you have to send it now so that you
will start receiving your funds.

As soon as the required fee of $105 is send today for the activation
and reconfirm the payment file of your funds, you will start receiving
your funds as from tomorrow. Send the $105 dollar through western
union with the name and address below:

1. Receiver name:------------Godwill Mutigwe
2. Country:------------------ Benin Republic
3. City: ------------------Cotonou
4. Question:------------How Long?
5. Answer:------------------3 Days
6. mount:------------------ $105

Contact him by providing him with your secret pin code X7PYWM2007 and
your Reference Number WUNTP:2551256003/23.You are also advised to
provide him with the under listed information's as soon as possible:

1. Name in full.--------------------------------------------------
2. Address.---------------------------------------------------
3. Nationality.---------------------------------
4. Age.---------------------
5. Occupation.---------------------------------
6. Telephone Number.----------------------------------
7. Present Country.-------------------------------

"Please you are to provide him with the above listed details as soon
as possible so he can begin with the processing of your prize
winnings.

This promotion takes place annually. For security reasons, you are
advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims
is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you
deem fit to claim your prize. This is a part of our precautionary
measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program
by some unscrupulous elements.

Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part
of our promotional program.

Mr. H.M. Alex Kamara
The director promotions

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam