419 scam: james <customerservice494@gmail.com> Hello My Dear

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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:
- "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. )
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "moneygarm@outlook.fr" (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.

Fraud email example:

From: james <customerservice494@gmail.com>
Reply-To: moneygarm@outlook.fr
Date: Sat, 16 Jan 2016 23:45:00 +1400
Subject: Hello My Dear

Hello My Dear

How are you doing today? I am very surprise that i have not heard from
you since after i sent you last e-mail about your funds transaction
Does it mean you did not receive the messages or that you do not want
to get back to me to claim your funds Or is it because of the fact
that your are ask to pay just last fee of $235 being required to
facilitate and finalize your transaction so that you can receive your
funds?

Well,i want to announce to you that i have raised $170 to help you and
it's now remaining only $65 to complete $235 being the last fee
required to complete the transaction handling processes and
outstanding charges. this is so because, due to new law in place, this
office can no longer handle the delivery due to our new monetary
foreign policy and attitudes of some corrupt officials. Hence we have
to forward your payment transaction to our partnering bank, MONEY GRAM
HEADQUARTER payment department Atlanta, Georgia who will set up an
online bank account for you where they will credit your $5.3 million
and then send the account information to you. You will then have to
transfer the funds directly into your local bank account in your
country by yourself. this is now how your funds will be paid to you
from Atlanta, Georgia USA.you will have no business with or in Africa
because your funds will be forwarded to USA at MONEY GRAM payment
department Atlanta, Georgia immediately you send the remaining $65
today to:

Receivers name..... AJANA MIKEL
Country............Benin Republic
City..............Cotonou
Tq................Color
Ta................Green
Amt...............$65
Mtcn..............

Remember, once you make the payment shall add it to the $170 i already
raised to help you with making it complete $235 needed for processing
the transaction immediately and forwarding payment instruction to
MONEY GRAM payment department Atlanta Georgia, who will set up your
online account and give you all details to transfer your funds down
into your local bank account and be rest assured that this $65 is only
approved payment you will send for this transaction.

Please, try to get back to me so we can facilitate your transaction
and bring it to a successful conclusion ok.i am ready to help you so
all your suffering about receiving your compensation funds of $5.3
million for a very long time will be over So, you are required to
contact me immediately and send the $65 via western union or money
gram to payment information above.

Your payment file has been scanned and forwarded to MONEY GRAM
HEADQUARTER payment department Atlanta Georgia, for review. so, once
you send the $65 do send the mtcn and other details including your
city,phone number,address,i.d so i will also forward same data to
MONEY GRAM HEADQUARTER payment department Atlanta, Georgia and link
you up with them to pay you via transfer online as explained above.

God bless you as i wait your immediate action by sending the fee $65 today!

Ben Christopher.
Email;moneygarm@outlook.fr
U.N compensation officer
Benin Rep. Africa.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam