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:

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 certificate" (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. )
- "anti-drug certificate" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "million united state 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)
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
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.
- +22968945517 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Diplomat Williams Henry" <nelsonbrown919@yahoo.co.nz>
Reply-To: diplomaticagent1@qq.com
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2014 17:38:00 -0400
Subject: URGENT REPLY NEEDED FROM MR. WILLIAMS HENRY,
THE DIPLOMATIC AGENT REGARDING YOUR CONSIGNMENT WORTH $4.8MILLION
UNITED STATE DOLLARS.

Good Day My Dear Beneficiary,Urgent Reply Needed From Mr. Williams Henry,
The Diplomatic Agent Regarding Your Consignment Worth $4.8million United
State Dollars.

>From Mr. Williams Henry
E-MAIL: diplomaticagent1@qq.com
Phone Number;( 850-388-9316 )
Diplomatic Agent DHL Express
Courier Company Cotonou Republic of Benin.
Address 09 BTP 88804 Cotonou 099, Benin Republic.

Good Day My Dear Beneficiary,

How are you today together with your family, am Mr. Williams Henry, a
courier diplomatic agent from DHL Express Courier Company, Cotonou, Benin
Republic. I was mandated to deliver your consignment to your doorstep and
I am currently at the Pensacola International PNS Airport Florida, 2430
Airport Blvd, Suite 225, Pensacola, FL 32504, United State Of America,
This delivery has taken me a lot of stress while i was told that it will
take me only 3 days.The way USA airport security inspects consignment
shipped out of French Country is not well pleased.

I am having a little problem here with Pensacola International PNS
Airport HOMELAND SECURITY, intercepting the consignment with regards to
the CLEAN BILL OF RECORD CLEARANCE which is delaying my coming to the
above address you supplied me to make the delivery to your doorstep.They
persisted I must provide the Clean Bill Of Record Clearance before i will
be allow to connect my flight to your nearest airport in your city.

I presented the Anti-Drug certificate,Yellow Tag and Insurance
certificate, but they refused.I asked the man in charge Mr.John Brian the
reason of all this delay because the entire necessary documents is
complete and this package has been on transits in PARIS FRANCE and the
authority over there did not demand for such certificate and he did not
detailed the reasonable answer than its illegal to enter the country with
the Unknown consignment without the CLEAN BILL OF RECORD otherwise they
will inspect the consignment since is sending from individual to
individual.

I don't have any means to contact you when i arrived this airport
Pensacola International PNS Airport Florida, and my only means to
communicate with you orally,is through phone-boot but i could not due to
the pressure they are giving me and i was told not to keep away from this
consignment till it handed over to you.

At the moment I have negotiated with the US Customs Authority to allow me
in with the consignment but they refused.They now directed me to contact
the origin of the consignment to get the clearance and i try to call you
on phone yesterday my dear and your phone number is not going, I have
also contacted USA EMBASSY BENIN and through the help of a customs officer
Mr.Nelson Edward,

they said that it will cost sum of $150.00. And please note that the
CLEARANCE CERTIFICATES will enable me to get through customs at Pensacola
International PNS Airport Florida, then i will connect my flight to your
nearest airport in your city, and you free to call me with this number any
time you need to talk to me, here is my contact telephone number below; (
850-388-9316 ) please my dear try all you can to see that you send the
needed fee as soon as possible because that is the only thing holding me
as off now to be at your doorstep together with your consignment of $4.8
million USD.

Meanwhile; Go ahead and reconfirm the following information's below to
avoid wrong delivery of your funds so that i can deliver your consignment
box to you today without any further delay.

NAME: = = = = = = = = = =
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN========
CITY======================
YOUR CURRENT DELIVERY ADDRESS: = = =
MOBILE NO.:= = = = = = = = = = = = = =
YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER=====
YOUR SEX/AGE=====================
OCCUPATION======================
NAME OF YOUR NEAREST AIRPORT:= = = = = = = =
A COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION := = = = = = =

Therefore; kindly go ahead and send the needed fee of $150.00. To BENIN
REPUBLIC Immediately through western union or Money gram with the name
below so that they can obtain the required CLEAN BILL OF RECORD to enable
me board my flight to come over to your house and hand over your
consignment to you as the real owner of it, Meanwhile; send the little fee
to our office in Benin Republic through western union money transfer or
money gram with the information’s below:

HERE IS THE INFORMATION WHERE TO SEND THE NEEDED FEE WITH THE NAME OF
COMPANY'S CASHIER’S BELOW:

Receiver's Name:==========OFOR GODWIN
Country=================Benin Republic
City=================== Cotonou
Question================How Long
Answer=================Now
Amount================$150
MTCN=================
Sender's Name===========

Send the MTCN via email below, ( dhldeliveycompany@qq.com) or call Mr.
Richard Daniel (Director) General of DHL Express Courier Company,
+229-68945517,to enable them pick it up and obtain the paper and get it
fax to me .I will be forwarding this email to the company.To avoid any
delay,once you get the money sent kindly Email me on
(diplomaticagent1@qq.com ) and let me know through the phone call,and try
to call me with this phone number below; ( 850-388-9316) as soon as you
update them about the needed certificate.

Please don't delay because i don't have enough time to be delay.Send
across the $150.00.To our office in Benin as soon as possible to enable me
arrange the CLEARANCE CERTIFICATES of the consignment as to assure that
the delivery is completed a.s.a.p I'm waiting for your urgent response
along with your payment information to complete this delivery.

Best Regards And Remain Blessed.
>From Mr. Williams Henry
E-MAIL: diplomaticagent1@qq.com
Phone Number;( 850-388-9316 )
Diplomatic Agent DHL Express
Courier Company Cotonou Republic of Benin.
Address 09 BTP 88804 Cotonou 099, Benin Republic.
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