419 scam: Le Minh Chau <lmchau4@gmail.com> Needed to confirm ?

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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.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "foreign service manager" (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)
- "million united state 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "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)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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.
- +22999388144 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- luis.robert01@yahoo.com.br (Yahoo, Brazil; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- ?.* ** *thank you* *le minh chau* from dr robert luis to lmchau4@gmail.com cc lmchau4@gmail.com date mon, (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: Le Minh Chau <lmchau4@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:21:23 +0700
Subject: Needed to confirm ?

*Dear fraudwatchers.*
**
*Please , confirm for me emails below :*
*Are they real and exact ?.*
**
*Thank you*
*Le Minh Chau*

from Dr Robert Luis <luis.robert01@yahoo.com.br> to lmchau4@gmail.com
cc lmchau4@gmail.com
date Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 3:28 PM subject
LEGALIZATION...........................................€852EUROS. signed-by
yahoo.com.br
hide details Mar 21
*DATE: 21/3/ 2011 *

*FROM THE DESK OF DR ROBERT LUIS (FOREIGN SERVICE MANAGER) *

*ADDRESS: 10 AVENUE STEIMEZ COTONOU-BENIN***

*ATTN: SIR MR. **LE MINH CHAU:*

*OUR REF: ### AIAM/X99-83X/2011..... ***

* ** *

* SIR, ***

* ** *

* SEQUEL TO YOUR ELECTRONIC MAIL TO MY OFFICE THIS MORNING HERE IN
BENIN DU REPUBLIC, YES MR. LE MINH CHAU**. I HAVE READ YOUR MAIL AND IT HAS
BEEN NOTED DOWN HERE IN MY OFFICE. ***

* *

*SIR, THIS HONORABLE OFFICE WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU HAVE TWO
ALTERNATIVES, THESE ALTERNATIVES ARE: *

* *

*FIRST OPTION. *

* *

* SIR, I WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU SHOULD TAKE A FLIGHT AND
COME DOWN TO BENIN IN ORDER TO GO TO THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE HERE
TO OBTAIN THE LEGAL CERTIFICATE NEEDED FOR THE DELIVERY OF YOUR TOTAL SUM
OF U.S. $ 7,000,000 (SEVEN MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS) IN CASH CREDITED TO
FILE KTU/9023118308/03 TO YOUR COUNTRY AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHEN YOU
FLYING DOWN HERE YOU SHOULD COME ALONG WITH THE SUM OF €852EUROS WHICH YOU
WILL USE TO PAY AND OBTAIN THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS NEEDED. *

* *

*SECONDLY, IF YOU CAN NOT FLY DOWN TO OUR COUNTRY IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE
DOCUMENTS, OUR ATTORNEY WILL HELP YOU DOWN HERE. YOU SHOULD SEND THE SUM OF
€852EUROS WITH THE NAME OF OUR SECRETARY TO ENABLE OUR ATTORNEY OBTAINS THE
DOCUMENT ON YOUR BEHALF FROM THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE IN THIS
COUNTRY. *

* *

*SIR, YOU ARE TO REPLY THIS MASSAGE IMMEDIATELY WITH THE SUM OF €852EUROS TO
BE PRECISELY, *

* *

*TO OBTAIN THE CERTIFICATE OF
LEGALIZATION...........................................€852EUROS*

* *

* *

* *

*SIR, YOU ARE TO SEND THE MONEY TO US VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WITH
THE NAME OF MY SECRETARY BELOW. *

* *

*NAME OF MY SECRETARY IS: MISS OBIAJUNWA .E. JOSEPH.*

* *

*NAME OF OUR COUNTRY IS: REPUBLIC OF BENIN*

* *

*NAME OF OUR CITY IS: COTONOU*

* *

*OFFICE ADDRESS: 10 AVENUE STEIMEZ COTONOU-BENIN*

* *

* *

*FURTHERMORE, YOU ARE TO LOOK FOR WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OFFICE THAT
IS NEAR TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN GO THERE AND SEND THE MONEY TO US USE THE
NAME OF MY SECRETARY AND OUR OFFICE ADDRESS ABOVE. THE REASON WHY YOU ARE TO
SEND THE MONEY VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER IS BECAUSE IT IS FASTER AND
SECURED THAN BANK TRANSFER. BY BANK TRANSFER, IT WILL TAKE 14 DAYS THAT'S 2
WEEKS BEFORE THE MONEY CAN CONFIRM IN OUR ACCOUNT HERE....BUT WESTERN UNION
MONEY TRANSFER, WILL ONLY TAKE 24HOURS FOR OUR OFFICE TO RECEIVE THE MONEY.
*

* *

*YOU ARE FREE TO CALL US... + 229 99388144 .*

* *

* *

*THANKS,*

* *

*DR ROBERT LUIS (FOREIGN SERVICE MANAGER) *

*THE NATIONAL LOTTERY *

*EMAIL: LUIS.ROBERT01@YAHOO.COM.BR *

*TELE: +229 99388144 *

* FAX: 229 98990566*.

[image: MY PASSPORT.jpg]<https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=10cb37af5d&view=att&th=12ed7877a7308e70&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw>
*MY PASSPORT.jpg*
45K

from Dr Robert Luis <luis.robert01@yahoo.com.br> to Le Minh Chau <
lmchau4@gmail.com>
date Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 4:20 PM subject VIEW YOUR PROOF AS YOU ASK THANK
YOU. signed-by yahoo.com.br
hide details Mar 21

*DATE: 21/3/ 2011
FROM THE DESK OF DR ROBERT LUIS (FOREIGN SERVICE MANAGER)
ADDRESS: 10 AVENUE STEIMEZ COTONOU-BENIN
ATTN: MRS RAIA LIUDMILA S:
OUR REF: ### AIAM/X99-83X/2011.....*

* SIR HAVE YOU RECEIVE MY MAIL TO YOU THIS MORNING PLEASE INFORM ME
IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THE COURIER SERVICE COMPANY IN CHARGE OF YOUR DELIVERY
IS WAITING FOR YOU TO FURNISH THEM WITH YOUR HOUSE HOME ADDRESS/TELEPHONE
FAX CONTACTS AND PRESENT TO THEM THE LEGALIZATION CERTIFICATE WHICH I HAVE
TOLD YOU TO FLY DOWN HERE OR YOU SEND OUR ATTORNEY MONEY TO HELP YOU OBTAIN
IT FOR YOU GOOD LUCK.*

* *

*SINCERELY YOURS *

*DR ROBERT LUIS*

* (FOREIGN SERVICE MANAGER)*

* *

[image: CERTIFICATE 0F
DEPOSIT.jpg]<https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=10cb37af5d&view=att&th=12ed7b6fbb71777f&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw>
*CERTIFICATE 0F DEPOSIT.jpg*
107K

from Office --------------------------File <officefile9594@att.net>
reply-to davidcage@blumail.org
to date Sat, Mar 19, 2011 at 7:16 PM subject Re signed-by att.net
hide details Mar 19

*Attn: Winner,

Congratulations REF:### AIAM/X99-83X/2011

Congratulations, you are the lucky winner in the CAR ONLINE LOTTERY 2011
Sponsored by ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS (AIAM).
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545188 with serial
number: 5368/02 was the lucky numbers: 03-18-25-29-31-43 (bonus no.) Which
subsequently won the lottery, in the first category i.e match 18 plus bonus.
You are hereby been approved to claim a total sum of U.S. $ 7,000,000 (seven
million United State dollars) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.*
*

All names of participants and e-mail addresses were selected through the
computer voting system drawn from 25,000 names from Europe, Asia, Africa,
Middle East and North America as part of our international promotion program
which we conduct two times each year.
*
*To begin your claims, please contact your claims agent;*
**
*Dr Robert Luis (Foreign Service Manager)
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY
Email: luis.robert01@yahoo.com.br*
*
Confirming to him, the information under-listed:*
*1. NAME:
2. Full Address:
3. PHONE:
4. OCCUPATION:
5. SEX:*
*This information will be used to document and processing of your prize
money to you.

Congratulations once again from all members of our staff and thank you for
being part of our promotional program.*
*
Sincerely,
Mrs. Janet Mike.
(Director of promotions).*

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam