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:
- "activation 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. )
- "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. )
- "00,000.00" (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)
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 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.
- wudepartsection@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Fabulous Mcgee <aido.trezzo@alice.it>
Reply-To: wudepartsection@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2014 13:02:21 +0200
Subject: NOW CONTACT WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER PAYMENT HEADQUARTER FOR
YOUR FUND.

NOW CONTACT WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER PAYMENT HEADQUARTER FOR YOUR FUND.

Hello dear,

There is an issue involving $4.7M USD which was called to Our Bank
Societe Generale de Banque au Benin (SGBBE) from THE FEDERAL MINISTRY
OF FINANCE,BENIN REPUBLIC concerning your compensation of
$4.700,000.00 USD. The fund has been forwarded to Western Union Money
Transfer payment head office and An instruction has come directly from
Mr. Zeen Mofis of Ministry Of Finance.

He asked us to start sending your fund install mentally $5000 per day
through western union money transfer. This type of transfer means that
you will be receiving $5000 every day through western union until the
total of $4.7MUSD is completely transferred to you.

Today, our bank has effected your first payment of $5000 through
western union. Now you have to Contact,Mr. DAVID Thatcher on his
contact info below as he is the person in-charge of your payment.

The Western union Agent is:
Name: Mr. DAVID Thatcher.
Email: wudepartsection@gmail.com
Phone:+229 688 62 641

Money sent Through Cornelis Zwaagstra, amount sent, $5,000.00 to you
today. So contact Mr. DAVID Thatcher on above email address and tell
him to give you needed information for you to pick the $5,000.00 USD.

Reconfirm your address to him.
(1)Your Full name: ................
(2)Your Phone number: ...................
(3)Your Contact address: ..................
(4)Your Age: ....................................

You will also have to send them the RE-ACTIVATION fee of $75usd [as
per the instruction from the management ] Pls contact Dr.MAMADOU
Amadou ASAP and send him the fee for him to send you the
MTCN,QUEST/ANS and SENDER NAME for you to pick up your first payment
of $5000 USD .

Get back to me on ( wudepartsection@gmail.com ) as soon as you
receives your first payment.

Yours in Service.
Fabulous.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam