419 scam: MR TONY JOHNSON <silvia.greco.wixb@alice.it> Payment Posted, MTCN#:908-182-6184

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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:
- "required 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. )
- "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. )
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
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.
- +22968653987 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: MR TONY JOHNSON <silvia.greco.wixb@alice.it>
Reply-To: johnsontony792470@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2016 09:37:33 +0100 (CET)
Subject: Payment Posted, MTCN#:908-182-6184

THIS MAIL IS ONLY FOR THE OWNER OF THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS, REGARDING YOUR
APPROVED FUND: $2,500.000.00 DOLLARS.

Somebody called our office and claimed you assign him to receive these
funds on your behalf. So i called our head office to be sure before we
pay money to the wrong person. Itâ€™s clear and understood that you are very
much alive and you did not authorize anyone to receive money on your
behalf. This case will be handed over to the police board to investigate
who this man is heâ€™s trying to steal funds that does not belong to him.
The total money is $2,500.000.00 USD and we will be sending you $5,000
daily until the $2,500.000.00 dollars are fully paid to you. Below is
the payment details made to you but your name has not been update as the
receiver.

Please give us your Address and Full name which you need to receive the
money.

HERE IS THE PAYMENT DETAILS POST OUT THIS MORNING

MTCN#: 908-182-6184
Sender: Fidelia Uzo
Amount: $5,000
Receiver: ********
Question: Transfer code?
Answer: who

STATUS: FUND AVAILABLE TO BE RECEIVE.

You are required to send $100 for the purchasing of your transfer files
to prevent an illegal payments to you. Your name has not be updated on the
system as the receiver but we will do that once we receive the required
fee from you then we put your name as the receiver.

You are advise to send the fee $100 today. Send it by western union or
money gram to the information below,

Name: PETER UWA
COUNTRY: BENIN
CITY: COTONOU
QUESTION: TODAY?
ANSWER: YES

As soon as we receive confirmation of $100 payment from you we will
quickly purchase your transfer files and put your name as the receiver. You
will
receive message back from us then you go and receive your $5,000 today.
Please note, you need to go along with your passport ID or your state
identity card when you need to pick up the fund transfer today OK. You
are entitle to receive your payment today if you do send the $100 today as
well.
This is the only payment you are required to make in this regards for
every other fee have been waived off by the federal ministry Benin.

Look forward hearing from you once you send the fee.

MR TONY JOHNSON
+229 68653987

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam