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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

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:
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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.
  • +22997855416 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "hjohnson48 Gazeta.pl" <hjohnson48@gazeta.pl>
Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 19:44:22 +0100
Subject: INFORMATION FROM WESTERN UNION


Western Union(R)
Welcome to Western Union
Send Money Worldwide

Attention:
There is an issue with the WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER in the amount of
$500.000.00 USD directed in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308, at the
owner of this email address. The
INTERNATIONALMONETARY FUND contacted us for your compensation a couple of
hours ago due to your allocated security code.
They said that they choose to send it to an email address instead of a
name. We are unable to complete a transfer directed at an emailaddress,
so we require some more information in order to complete this transfer.

FULL NAME:
FULL CONTACT ADDRESS:
MOBILE PHONE NUMBER:
OCCUPATION:
MARITAL STATUS AND AGE:
In order to resolve this problem,please email via Western Union
Solicitors Fund Verification Department:westernunion_information@
yahoo.fr

As soon as this information is received,and you have complied with the
requirements of payment of the western union charges $200, payment will be
made to your nominated bank account or at the counter directly from The
Western Union Transfering Bank.
Note: That this is not one of those Nigerian/African scams that all
they are after is to ripe you off your money and at the end you wil not
receive your funds, but note that this is no scam and is directly from the
Management of Western Union Money Transfer United Kingdom Head Office and
our Motto is To Serve You Better.
Below is the information to send the $200.00 today through Western Union
money transfer to make it faster and easier.

RECEIVER NAME; Jude Okechukwu
RECEIVER COUNTRY; BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY;COTONOU
TEST QUESTION; IN GOD
ANSWER; WE TRUST
AMOUNT; $200.00
MTCN NUMBER............................
Please don't forget to send the MTCN number to me immediately you send the
money and make sure that you send with this information to avoid mistake ok.
Waiting to hear from you with the payment information.

Thanks & waiting to hear from you soon
THE MANAGEMENT OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER, UNITED KINGDOM HEAD OFFICE.
DISPATCHED THIS DAY
Sincerely,
MR.JAMES Rebot.



Western Union(R)
Welcome to Western UnionPhone:+229-97855416
Send Money Worldwide

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam