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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Western union" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <officialletter@live.fr>
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2012 08:15:57 -0700
Subject: Contact wesntern union urgent

>From western union Topka branch office
Address; 1458 Care Ruth Cotonou Benin republic
Telephone; +22996688372
Fax Line; +229913487                                            
E-mail; infor@western union .org
Attention; Beneficiary
This is to notify you that your unpaid approved 2012 GLOBE / winning fund valued of $950.000.00 has been credited to western union Escrow account file system number KTU/6523118308 by the International monitory fund through via your email address,
and  your $5000 three times daily payment you supposed start been recieving from today until the total sum above received safely is available to pick up by you.
Before you can go to any western union outlet with your payment information of your first $5000, daily payment,
Kindly fill the underline required information and sends back to enable our KTT department use it to create your Data Payment Account where your daily payment will be locating the Security Access Pin code gazette alert on your name at your city;-
Full name----------------------------
Address----------------------------
Zip code--------------------------
Telephone------------------------
$250 activation of your Data payment Account (DPA) into the location Security Access Pin code that will empower our payment gazette to circulate the payment on your name at your location centre. 
The payment should send to the controller manager of western union Key Tested Telegraphic department;-
www.westernunion.com
MTCN: 9774770040
Sender’s first name: William
Sender’s last name: Phillips
Sincerely,
Rev. Mike Jude
Customer care service
Western Union Payments
Contact E-mail; officialsresponseunit@w.cn
 
 

Anti-fraud resources: