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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. EMMA JOHN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <westernunionoffice1985@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2017 22:58:14 +0100
Subject: Attention Dear

Attention Dear

We the western Union W/U are here to informed you that your payment of
$5000 dollars have been paid online this morning and we are sending
you the information now so that you will pick your fund, but we are to
informed you that you will send us the sum of $98.00 dollars for the cost
of the transfer before you will be able to pick up yours payment.

Here below is your payment of 5000 dollars, you are free to track and
see that your payment has been made. www.westernunion.com.

1.SENDER NAME:.Peter Moore
2.TEST QUESTION:....4HRS
3.TEST ANSWER:......TIME.
4.AMOUNT ..........$5000.00 USD
5.MTCN:.....8845-115-202

To confirm
your first payment click or copy this link bellow and paste it on a new
tab it will appear to you as Money Arrived or Available To Pick up By
Receiver.

https://www.wu.com/content/wucom/Countries/en_BJ/track-transfer-result.html?

transactionStatus=AVAILABLE&progressIndicator=3&statusMessage=Your%20money%20transfer%27s

%20ready%20to%20be%20picked%20up%20at%20any%20Western%20Union%20agent%20location

Please as I told you have to send us the sum of $98 dollars for the
cost of the transfer (TRANSFER CHARGE) and immediately you send this
fee $98 dollars do call me and then +2347064258303 so that we will
released your payment immediately for you so that you will pick it as
well as you make the payment.

Here are the information you are to use and send the fee $98 dollars via western union or

Money
Gram.

RECEIVER NAME:::: EMMA JOHN
COUNTRY:::::::BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY::::::COTONOU
QUESTION:::::WHEN
ANSWER::::TODAY
MTCN:::::::
SENDER NAME:::::

Thanks we are waiting to hear from you by mail or phone call, have a
nice day with your family

Sincerely
MR EMMA JOHN.
Email: westernunionoffice1985@gmail.com
+2347064258303
+22965133376

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Anti-fraud resources: