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:

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:
- "insurance 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. )
- "million 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)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
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.
MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
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.
- uba_benn@mail2finance.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Lawrence " <"Office."@ninus.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: uba_benn@mail2finance.com
Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2017 05:55:37 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Your UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD number 4577932463160548; has been
approved

UBAWelcome To United Bank For Africa (UBA) Benin

Attn Beneficiary

On a serious note, you are given 48hrs to comply with the fee or your payment file will be return back to the Authority as unclaimed fund, you know what it means. Now get back to us before it will be too late.

This bank received your mail its noted, an instruction from the United Nation by orders of the Ministry of Finance, Federal Republic of Benin to release your Approved payment of US$10.5Million Dollars via UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD which you will use to withdraw your US$10.5 Million Dollars from any ATM Machine in any part of the world.

Your UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD number 4577932463160548; has been approved and upgraded in your favor today. The amount upgraded in the ATM CARD is US$10.5 Million Dollars and your secret pin number is 8041, Right now, Invitation have been extended to you to visit UBA BANK Benin Republic for the collection of your UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD and PIN NUMBER so that you can activate it by yourself and start withdrawing funds from any ATM Machine in your country and bear in mind that the amount you can withdraw in a day is US$50,000,But you cannot withdraw the US$50,000 at once,you can only withdraw US$10,000 into 5 times as we have programmed it making it the US$50,000.

Alternatively, if you are unable to visit UBA BANK Federal Republic of Benin for collection of your UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD and PIN NUMBER, you must therefore apply for the UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD and PIN NUMBER to be sent to you via our diplomatic courier service at your own expenses by offsetting the following payments such as;

1) Shipment fee of the UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD to your address amounting to USD35.00
2) Insurance Coverage of the UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD is USD20.00, total amount is USD55.00

Both payments totaling the sum of USD55.00 must be paid to enable us ship your ATM MASTER CARD to your address as to enable you start withdrawing your US$10.5 Million Dollars from any ATM machine in any part of the world.

So, if you cannot come down to UBA BANK of Federal Republic of Benin for collection of your ATM VISA CARD, you must therefore kindly go right now and send this shipment and insurance fee of USD55.00 via Western Union Money transfer or money gram transfer with the details below and get back to us with the payment information for urgent pick up and proceed the delivery of your ATM VISA CARD to your home address as nominated,

Below is the information where you should send the shipment and insurance fee of USD55.00 via Western Union or Money Gram.

Receiver's name: INNOCET UBAH
Country.. Benin Republic
City .. Cotonou
Text Question..When
Text Answer..Now
Amount USD55.00
MTCN...
SENDER....

As soon as the fee is received, we shall immediately dispatch your ATM VISA CARD to you and it will take only 24hours to arrive to your address to enable you start withdrawing funds the same day from any ATM machine nearest to you. you can contact us with this email address below uba_benn@mail2finance.com

Thank you for banking with United Bank For Africa (UBA)

Regards
Dr. Lawrence Willie
Executive Director United Bank For Africa (UBA)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam