419 scam: "Mrs.Janet Michael" <polimarssteven@gmail.com> GET BACK TO ME ASAP REACH ME AT (mrsjanetedwards@gmail.com)

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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:

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. )
- "processing 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. )
- ",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)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "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.
- +22998098256 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Janet Michael" <polimarssteven@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Dec 2016 07:57:59 -0500
Subject: GET BACK TO ME ASAP REACH ME AT (mrsjanetedwards@gmail.com)

FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE
NATIONAL HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY COMPLEX
SENATE HOUSE - UPPER CHAMBERS WUSE DISTRICT, COTONOU BENIN

ATTN: SORRY IF YOU RECEIVED THIS MAIL IN YOUR SPAM, DUE TO RECENT
CONNECTION ERROR HERE IN THE COUNTRY, IF YOU FAIL TO SEND THE $49 TODAY
YOUR $2,000,000.00 IS GONE OUR REF: FGN /SNT/STB

I HAVE TO INFORM YOU AGAIN, THAT WE ARE NOT PLAYING OVER THIS, I KNOW MY
REASON FOR THE CONTINUOUS SENDING OF THIS NOTIFICATION TO YOU, THE FACT IS
THAT YOU CAN'T SEEM TO TRUST ANY ONE AGAIN OVER THIS PAYMENT FOR WHAT YOU
HAVE BEEN IN CANTERED IN MANY MONTHS AGO, BUT I WANT YOU TO TRUST ME, I
CANNOT DEFRAUD YOU FOR $49 IT IS FOR BANK PROCESSING OF YOUR PAYMENT, THE
FEES OF $49 IS CLEARLY WRITTEN TO YOU BEFORE, I DID NOT INVENT THE BILL TO
DEFRAUD YOU OF $49 IT IS AN OFFICIAL BANK PAYMENT PROCESSING FEE, AND THE
GOOD PART OF THIS, IS THAT YOU WILL NEVER, EVER BE DISTURBED AGAIN OVER
ANY KIND OF PAYMENT, AND THE FORMS FROM THERE BECOMES EFFECTIVE ONCE WE
SUBMIT YOUR PAYMENT APPLICATION PROCESSING FEE AND PAY THE FORM FEE OF $49
I DON'T WANT YOU TO LOOSE THIS FUND THIS TIME, BECAUSE YOU MAY NEVER GET
ANOTHER SUCH GOOD OPPORTUNITY, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS KEEN AND VERY
DETERMINED TO PAY YOUR OVERDUE DEBTS, THIS IS NOT A FLUKE, I WOULD NOT !
WANT YOU TO LOSE THIS FUND OUT.

THE PROCESSING CHARGES WHICH WAS INITIALLY ON THE HIGH PRICE HAS BEEN CUT
DOWN BY THE PAYOUT BANK CONSIDERING THE POOR ECONOMIC SITUATIONS THAT MAKE
IT DIFFICULT FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS CITIZENS TO MEET UP WITH THE PROCESSING
CHARGES OF THEIR ENTITLEMENT. UPON THE CONFIRMATION OF YOUR PROCESSING
CHARGES YOU WILL GET YOUR $2,000,000.00 INTO YOUR ACCOUNT WITHIN
30MINUTES.

ONLY WHAT YOU WILL DO NOW IS TO CONTACT US BACK IF YOU ARE INTERESTED OF
RECEIVING YOUR FUND AND INFORMATION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU WERE TO SEND THE
BANK PROCESSING CHARGES TO AVOID WRONG TRANSACTION, FINALLY MY ADVICE TO
YOU IS NOT TO ABANDON THIS TRANSACTION BECAUSE OF THE REQUIREMENT FEES.

PLEASE SEND THE PAYMENT OF $49 WITH BELLOW INFORMATION THROUGH (WESTERN
UNION)

RECEIVER'S: NAME: (CHRIS EBOH)
COUNTRY: (BENIN REPUBLIC)
CITY: (COTONOU)
TEST QUESTION: (URGENT)
TEST ANSWER: (URGENT)
AMOUNT: ($49)

AS SOON AS THE PAYMENT IS RECEIVED, YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR $2MILLION THE
SAME TODAY WITHOUT ANY DELAY.

BEST REGARDS
MRS. JANET MICHAEL

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
INTERNATIONAL WIRE TRANSFERS,
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE BENIN REPUBLIC
TELL-PHONE:+229-98098256

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam