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:
- "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. )
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 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.
- ubacustomercare9@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Phillips Oduoza <"www."@viola.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Mr Phillips Oduoza <ubacustomercare9@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2017 12:57:15 +0900 (JST)
Subject: YOUR TOTAL FUND OF $6.5MILLON DOLLAR HAVE BEEN APPROVE FROM UBA
BANK PLC.

Welcome To United Bank For Africa (UBA)
Head Office UBA House, 57 Marina,
Website www.ubagroup.com
SWIFT (BIC) UNAFNGLA
Founded 1961
Current Date 28-7-2017

Attention Pls

this is to inform you that the management of UBA bank has concoulded to send your fund the total sum of $6.5 Million United States Dollar through ATM Visa card the instruction was giving from the office of International Monitoring fund (IMF) here in Benin Republic, therefore you will receive the ATM card to your house address within couple of days time,

as matter of fact we where told to send the ATM card to you through regular mail to avoid sending your money to those corrupt courier companies therefore you are require to reconfirm your mailing address today so that by tomorrow i will personal go and post the ATM card to your address, also you are requre to send $125 only the money will be use for post office international stamp fee which will be stamp to the envelope that contain your ATM card, the $125 is the only money required from you to receive your ATM card from this bank therefore i want you send the $125 today through western union or money gram and get back to me with your address and the senders name so that by tomorrow i will post the ATM card to your address, for more
information you should contact me with the above telephone number or you should login to our bank web site on www.ubagroup.com pls make sure you send the $125 to our office today

I will be looking forward to here from you so that i will give you the names and and address where to send the $125 which is the only money required from you to receive your ATM card from this bank, Contact Phillips Oduoza on this email(ubacustomercare9@gmail.com)

Best Regards
Mr Phillips Oduoza
CEO UBA Bank Plc

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam