419 scam: "Mr. Lawrence Parker."<test@kidzaniaphoto.jp> Your First $5,000.00Us Dollars Is Available To Pick Up!

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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "million us dollars" (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)
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.
- +22999876902 (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.
- westerrnunionmt0101@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Lawrence Parker." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <westerrnunionmt0101@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2016 17:23:30 -0700
Subject: Your First $5,000.00Us Dollars Is Available To Pick Up!

Attention: Please,

We have finalized all the necessary arrangement after the meeting heard today for release your inheritance fund worth of $1,500.000.00 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) which was approved by the Western Union Board of Director that you will be receiving sum of $5,000 daily until you withdraw the $1.5Million Us Dollars completely. But the only fee you have to pay is $155.00us dollars for RE-ACTIVATION.

Meanwhile we want you to re-confirm your personal information for renewal and appropriate record.

Your Name: ___
Your Address: ___
Your Occupation: ____
Telephone Number: ____

To show you that this transaction is real and legit, we have issued out your first installation payment today in your name and here is the information but you can not pick up the payment, until you pay the activation fee of $155.00us dollars.

1) Sender Name: ROSE LINUS
2) Text Question:A1
3) Text Answer: A2
4) Country: BENIN REPUBLIC
5) MTCN Number: 407-259-(....)

Kindly contact us with this information below.
Contact Person: Mr. Lawrence Parker.
Contact E-mail: (westerrnunionmt0101@gmail.com)
Telephone Number: +229 9987 6902

Regards,
Mr. Lawrence Parker.
Western Union Manager.

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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam