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. )
- "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. )
- "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)
- "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "diplomatanthonyjames@ymail.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.
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.
- +22999922562 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
- +22995193093 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Agent Anthony Ego <cobranca@mediphacos.com>
Reply-To: <atmofficeauthoriza@foxmail.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2015 06:41:22 -0700
Subject: =?utf-8?Q?Spam?=
FLIGHT SCHEDULE!!!!!

ATTN: URGENT REPLY!!!!!

I am the diplomat agent responsible for the delivery of your parcel. I received your mailing while I have been in this airport for couple of days. It’s mandatory that the delivery of your package will take place today because it has given me a lot of stress while I was told that it will take me only 2days.The way the Denver, North Carolina HOME LAND PORT SECURITIES inspects consignment shipped out of French Country is not well pleased. I am having a little problem here with Denver, North Carolina HOMELAND SECURITY, intercepting the consignment with regards to the OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE which is delaying my coming to the above address you supplied to make the delivery to you. They persisted I must obtain the Ownership Certificate before I will be allow to connect my flight to Your City.

I presented the Clearance certificate, Yellow Tag and my American Gate Passing certificate but they refused. I asked the man in charge Mr. Anderson Dave the reason of all this delay because the entire necessary documents is complete and this package has been on transits from PARIS FRANCE and the authority over there did not demand for such certificate and he did not detailed the reasonable answer of the stopped, but keep on telling me that it's illegal to enter the country with the UN open Package without the OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE 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 and my only means to communicate with you orally, is phone and email so please here is my direct line (980-222-4941 text me anytime.

At the moment I have negotiated with the 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 have also contacted THE BENIN REPUBLIC EMBASSY and through the help of a customs officer Mr. Robert Daniels, they said that it will cost sum of $195.00.and you must understand that time do not wait for anybody and I’m still trying to meet up with the FLIGHT SCHEDULE today.

Kindly send $195.00.To BENIN REPUBLIC Immediately through western union with the name below so that they can obtain the required Certificate to enable me board my flight to come over to your based, send the fee to our office in Benin Republic with the information’s below:

SEND WITH THE NAME OF OUR COMPANY'S CASHIER:

Receiver's Name== Princel Uramaka
Country== Benin Republic
City== Cotonou
Question== In God
Answer....... We Trust.
Amount....... $195

Send the MTCN via email below,

You can get in touch with MY Director on Rev. Dr.Johnson Udo (+229-99922562) to enable them pick it up and obtain the paper and get it fax to me on this fax number,{+229 95193093}. I will be forwarding this email to the company now. To avoid any delay, once you get the money send kindly email me for me to be updated. Please don't delay because I don't have enough time to be delay. Send across the $195.00.To our office in Benin as soon as possible to enable me arrange the OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE of the consignment as to assure that the delivery is completed ASAP.

Agent Anthony Ego
Denver, North Carolina U.S.A
+1 980 222 4941.
E-mail: diplomatanthonyjames@ymail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam