419 scam: "MINISTER OF FINANCE" <test@korpel-tal.com> DEAR BENEFICIARY,

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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:
- "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. )
- "moneygram" (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. )
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "moneygramtrasnfer2@qq.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: "MINISTER OF FINANCE" <test@korpel-tal.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: moneygramtrasnfer2@qq.com
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 11:59:04 +0200
Subject: DEAR BENEFICIARY,

MINISTRY OF FINANCE,
LK BID RD NO 4/9 LAND CA
ICA NDA LAGOS
NIGERIA REPUBLIC

THIS IS THE OFFICE OF THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE,I WAS THE ONE WHO INSTRUCTED
MONEY GRAM OFFICE TO CONTACT YOU REGARDING YOUR OUT STANDING FUND IN OUR
CUSTODY,($2,540,000.00)

MY NAME IS MR.DONALD UKEH, I AM NEWLY APPOINTED MINISTER OF FINANCE BY
OUR ABLE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA,DR.GOODLUCK EBELE
JONATHAN,THE MANDATE GIVEN TO ME BY MY PRESIDENT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL
UN PAID FUND WILL BE CLEARED BEFORE THE END OF THIS MONTH,

I HELD A SERIES OF MEETING WITH BOTH WESTERN UNION AND MONEY GRAM OFFICE
HERE AND ONLY DISCOVERED THAT YOU MADE A LOT OF EFFORT TO CLAIM YOUR FUND
IN THE PAST BUT WESTERN UNION DEPARTMENT COULD NOT RELEASE THE FUND EITHER
BY ONE REASON OR THE OTHER,THIS IS WHY I ORDERED $5000 US DOLLARS DAILY
SHOULD NOW BE SENT TO YOU THROUGH MONEY GRAM TO AVOID ANY DELAY,I TOLD
THEM THAT YOU WILL SEND $100 FOR REACTIVATION OF THE FUND BUT SUPRISELY TO
ME NOW,DR.OBASE OF MONEY GRAM OFFICE WROTE TO ME AND SAID THAT YOU
COULDN'T BE ABLE TO COMPLY,

MAY I KINDLY INFORM YOU THAT YOU HAVE ONLY TODAY/TOMORROW TO COMPLY BY
PAYING THE FEE OR WE WILL CONFISCATE THE TOTAL FUND AND HAVE IT
TRANSFERRED INTO GOVERNMENT TREASURY,I HAVE NOW REDUCED THE FEE TO $60
DOLLARS,THE REASON WE REDUCED IT TO $40 DOLLARS IS TO MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT
ANY COMPLAIN,

I URGE YOU TO TRY AND SEND THE FEE TO THE NAME OF MY STAFF,WHO WILL GO AND
PICK IT AND HAVE EVERYTHING PROCESSED,MY OFFICE WILL REACTIVATE THE
PAYMENT FILE REACTIVATED IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU SEND TO US THE PAYMENT
INFORMATION OF THE FEE($40)

YOU CAN SEND THE FEE EITHER THROUGH MONEY GRAM OR WESTERN UNION WITH THE
NAME BELOW WHO WILL GO AND PICK IT UP IMMEDIATELY YOU FORWARD THE PAYMENT
INFORMATION TO US,I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT THERE WILL BE NO OTHER PAYMENT
AFTER THIS REACTIVATION FEE BECAUSE IT IS MY OFFICE THAT WILL HANDLE
EVERYTHING ,

THANKS AS AM WAITING TO RECEIVE THE PAYMENT INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY,

RECEIVER'S NAME....EKWEGBELE OBIORAH
CITY/COUNTRY.....LAGOS-REPUBLIC NIGERIA
QUESTION.........WHEN
ANSWER...........TODAY
AMOUNT............$40

THANKS,

MR.DONALD UKEH,
MINISTER OF FINANCE
NIGERIA REPUBLIC
moneygramtrasnfer2@qq.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam