419 scam: "Mrs. Hilda Williams"<jim@ksgm.dflzm.com> GOOD DEAR MY FRIEND

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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:
- "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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
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.
- +22999169166 (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.
- wuwupayment@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Hilda Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <officewestern56@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Jul 2015 06:35:09 -0700
Subject: GOOD DEAR MY FRIEND

From: Paying Agent No. 100B
Mr. Edin Benson
Western Union Payment Officer
Payment Hotline :+229-99169166

Congratulations!

Dear Esteemed Beneficiary

I am writing to officially inform you that you have a sum of $4,800,000.00 USD lodged in our western union headquarter awaiting to be transfer to you, this mandate and payment advice was given to us by United Nation Compensation Committee as a grand compensation to every due unpaid foreign beneficiaries as shortlisted in our last payment quarter Payment Schedule.

The UNCC have instructed us to be sending to you a daily installment transfer of $5,000.00 USD - Five Thousand USD Dollars or its equivalent in your local currency every day for 7 days ONLY to accomplish the transfer of $35,000.00 which you will be advised to use and open a domiciliary account in any international bank of your choice. YOU WILL RECEIVE ONLY $35,000.00 VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER FOR THE PURPOSE OF OPENING A DOMICILIARY ACCOUNT where your balance will be transferred via swift online transfer. The balance of $4,765,000.00 USD will be wired via swift to your pre-opened domiciliary account once you set up the domiciliary account and furnish us with the account details.

We have transferred your first installment payment this morning for your pick-up at any western union outlet near you. Your first payment is available for pick up NOW. All you require is your Electronic Foreign Transfer PIN (EFTP) which is to ensure your payment is safe and not intercepted in anyway and it will only cost $72.00.

Log into our website and track to verify the status of the transfer and remember to keep other transfer details intact except the MTCN# which will change in subsequent transfers and you will receive instant MTCN# updates via email or SMS on your mobile device every single day.

https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=global

Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) : 2031555328

Sender name===========Ogu kingsley

Test question======== Trust

Test answer:============ God

Amount======== == = $5,000.00

MTCN===========2031555328

You are required to reconfirm Your Name, Address, Phone Number for us to post your funds to you. Do call: Tel Phone :+229-98979117 for voice confirmation and email me on ( wuwupayment@gmail.com ) for data reconfirmation.

Payment Hotline :+229-99169166

Best Regards
Mr. Edin Benson
Western Union Payment Officer
You will receive further transfer instructions upon your prompt response. I await your urgent response.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam