419 scam: MR JOHN MAXWEL <"www."@ninus.ocn.ne.jp> MR JOHN MAXWEL

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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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. )
- "i am using this medium to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "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.
- +22995847091 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: MR JOHN MAXWEL <"www."@ninus.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: MR JOHN MAXWEL <westernunion250@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2017 01:43:27 +0900 (JST)
Subject: MR JOHN MAXWEL

THE TOTAL OF $1.5MILLION WILL ARE GOING TO TRANSFER TO YOU!!!

Information reaching us from our Western Union Corporate Headquarters now,
States that you only have 48hours to effect payment for the activation of your
$1,500,000:00 USD to enable you cash up your total (fund) since you are finding
it difficult to make the total payment, We have decided that you are to go
ahead and pay whatever you have for the activation fee since you are not able
to come up with the total required sum. Time is of the essence here. You are to
pay what ever you have as activation fee; we will activate your fund upon
receipt of this payment to enable you receive your first $5,000:00 USD from any
Western Union center around you today. Be informed that you will have to pay
the balance sum of your activation upon cashing up of your first payment.

Also i am using this medium to inform you that failure to pay the balance sum
will leave us with no option but to deactivate your fund of which you will and
can never cash up your total sum again i want you to use Western Union or Money
Gram to send whatever you have for the activation fee with the information
Bellow.

Receiver name:san tito
Receiver city: COTONOU.
Receiver country: BENIN.
Amount: YOU CAN PAY ANY AMOUNT YOU HAVE NOW.
(M.T.C.N) Money Transfer Control Number ::::::::
Sender's name ::::::::

Kindly reconfirm the following below information:

Your full name__________________
Your address______________________
Your country_______________________ _
Your Phone number_____________________
Your ID______________________

Send us the MTCN number, Sender Address, immediately you send the money and
immediately we confirm the activation fee, we will transfer you the fund today
and not tomorrow. Regards my direct phone line is +229 95847091 MR JOHN MAXWEL
For your payment, Email Address:(westernunion250@ yahoo.com)

I promise you as soon as we hear from you with the payment of ANY AMOUNT YOU
HAVE NOW will told you to send today, we shall send your first payment of
$5,000.00 for you to pick up with the information you need to receive your
payment the same day you send the payment of ANY AMOUNT and I swear you will
receive your payment immediately.

EMAIL ME THE MTCN NUMBER OR Call ME OK I AM WAITING.

MR JOHN MAXWEL
Head Office Operations Manager.
Western Union Office Department
Telephone number: +229 95847091

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam