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:

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. )
- "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. )
- "are expected to pay " (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. )
- "million united states 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)
- "00,000.00" (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.
- +229 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "John F. Entwistle" <John3@topaz.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "John F. Entwistle" <office.fill@foxmail.com>
Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2016 22:44:14 +0900 (JST)
Subject: United Nations Compensation Committee (UNCC), Headquarters, New
York, USA.

United Nations Compensation Committee (UNCC), Headquarters, New York, USA.
ADDRESS: First Avenue at 46th Street, New York, NY 10017 USA

Pay Attention Please:

As an Arm of the United Nations, we the United Nations Compensation Committee (UNCC) have the express mandate of the United Nations to pay Monetary Compensations totaling Seven Million United States Dollars ($7,000,000.00) each to a substantial number of Nigerian/World 419 Scam victims.

We are mindful of the fruitless efforts of foreign Scam victims to get justice to no avail due to widespread Corruption, Irregularities, Bureaucratic Bottlenecks and High Handedness by officials both in Government and Banking sector within African Region in particular, hence our intervention as Responsible International Agency. To prevent a repeat of the ugly experiences of the past, payments of this Compensation will be routed to meet the desires of all Claimants.

With regards to the above aforementioned funds, you are hereby notified that your name has been Short-listed in our initial manifest among numerous victims to be compensated to the tune of $7,000,000.00 each. To that effect, you are required to re-confirm your information to enable us UPDATE AND KEY TEST OUR DATABASE for possible payment of your compensation to you. Therefore, we are happy to inform you that arrangement has been concluded to effect your payment as soon as possible and in our bid for transparency and accountability, it is our pleasure to inform you that your funds of $7,000,000.00 has been approved and upgraded in your favour this morning. As I am writing this message the funds has already arrived in United Nations Compensation Committee Office New York, and we are waiting to receive the Demur rage Fees before your $7,000,000.00 can be delivery to your home address.

Note that you are expected to pay only $45 for Demur rage Fees today and you are advised to send the money direct Cotonou, Benin Republic, as the origin of the Compensation Funds, in favor of Damion Chinedu as our Cashier Officer. Send the $45 through Western Union or Money Gram as soon as you receive this message with the information below for immediate release of your Compensation Funds to your doorstep within 24 hours you send the money. You are required to send the fee of $45 by WESTERN UNION or MONEY GRAM to the Damion Chinedu where your Funds originated as stated below.

Payment information:

RECEIVER'S NAME: Damion Chinedu
COUNTRY: Benin Republuc
CITY: COTONOU
zip code: 00229
Test Question: Benin
Answer: Benin
Amount: $45
MTCN: ........................
Senders Name and Address:..........

Note that any unclaimed Compensation Funds will be return to U.S Government account after 3 days. So you are urgently advice to comply with our demand so that we will release your Compensation Funds to you.

Be informed that delivery will be made to your Home address, in 24 hours after our confirmation of this payment for delivery, as you know that the delivery fee receipt will be used to attach on your payment delivery documents to avoid being delayed. Advice this office your proffered time of visitation to delivery and be informed that your valid ID card must be presented to the dispatchers before release will be done.

NOTE: You are not to contact any office(s) or person(s) for mistake in the delivering of your funds to you apart from the information stated above.

Faithfully Yours,

Signed,
John F. Entwistle,
Administrative Assistant Secretary,
United Nations Under-Secretary - General for Internal Oversight.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam