419 scam: Greeting

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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:
- "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. )
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.

Fraud email example:

From:
Reply-To: "Mr. Benson Williams" <assistantdirectordhl@gmail.com>
Date:
Subject: Greeting

International Treasury Department
Contact Person Mr. Benson Williams,
Address 635 East 8th Street
Holland, Michigan 49423 City United State Province/State Country/ Region United State

Attention and Greetings:

I am Mr. Benson Williams, The Chair person in charge of Treasury Department, International wire transfers of United State Federal Ministry of Finance.

I want to inform you that your Payment File was brought to my desk today to Cancel because the director & management of the WESTERN UNION MONEY transfer have declared to divert your fund to the government treasury account just because you can not pay the signed wire transfer fee. In reasoning wisely to this complain i told them to wait until i hear from you today so that i will know the reason why you decide to rejected such amount of money USD$5.500.000.00 which is your rightful & legal overdue compensation funds just because of signed wire transfer fee.

The reason why i sent this email to you is because its your sweat and for this reason you still have this last chance to claim your fund if you can send USD$150 today because i have already arranged your wires ready for its daily wires to you but failing to do this, i will allow them to have power over your fund and am very sorry if you failed as this is the last chance.

Therefore, send the USD $150 immediately you receive this email today and email your full name and address to me if you want your USD $5.500.000.00 be send to you by western union money transfer but the maximum amount officially allow for it per day wire to you is USD $4,500 per day until you receive your complete USD $5.500.000.00 from here.

The second option is for you to send me the full detail of your bank account if you want your fund be fully transfer by direct bank to bank wire transfer to your account at once. After you have sent the $150 and email me the mtcn numbers, you are to indicate your wish to receive your funds as i have stated above and the funds will be release to you without any hitch.

Here is the western union information in the name of our accountant to avoid delay in receiving your fund and remember that i have done my best for you and i will make sure that your wire transfer will begin to be releasing to you from the moment you sent this $150.

Send the $150 now and send me email with the western union Copy of the transfer slip immediately you send the money ,

Receivers Name:........
COUNTRY :...
City : .......
Test Question:.. God is
Answer :.. Good.
Amount to send: ...$150
SEND MTCN NUMBER....
Sender's name.......

Send it and Attached us the western union copy of the transfer payment slip.for easy collection.. We are waiting for your reply with the Attached of the transfer slip of the $150 usd immediately you send it today.. OK

Thanks .
Mr. Benson Williams.
Treasury Department, International
Wire transfers, Federal Ministry of Finance United State.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam