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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:
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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.

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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:
  • "required 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 ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
• 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 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.
  • wumt@ubbi.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: thomsoneric <ericthomson@yp.com.hk>
Reply-To: afrounion@ubbi.com
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:07:43 +0000
Subject: To The Attention Of Beneficiary.



To The Attention Of Beneficiary.

The Board of federal ministry of finance benin republic are hereby to
notify you of your Out Standing pending payment inheritance funds of
$800.000 USD after the meeting held on 7th Of June 2008. His
Excellence the PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN (DR YAYI BONI)
has Instructed Our Bank UNION BANK BENIN INTERNATION to transfer your
funds through western union money transfer for easy receive of your
inherintance funds without any further delay to avoid paying money to
the fraud stars that is going on through Courier Company.

You are required to send your name and address were you want your fund
to be send through Western Union. The maximium amount you will be
receiving per a day is $4000.00) Also your are required by this
BANK(UBBI) to send us the sum of $98.00 dollar for **Clearance and
Re-cofirming Of your file that was deposited in

this office with your name and address bellow .

Beneficiareyname----------
Address----------------------
Occupation------------------
Country----------------------
Tel phone--------------------
Age--------------------------
Identification id-----------
*

*For further procedure get back to us urgently with your information
above for us to proceed ,**As soon the required fee of $145.00
received today for the clearance & reconfirming the payment file of
your funds you will receive the first
payment as from tomorrow. please contact us through this email:
wumt@ubbi.com

Mr Eric Thomson
Western Union Money Transfer (WUMT) UBBI.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam