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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:

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:35:52 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Your Authentic Western Union Payment


Attention Beneficiary ,

With regards to our most efforts to get your fund transferred to you through the Republic of Benin, and with the difficulties you faced during these times due to the fact that you have not been able to complete the transaction requirements,be informed that we will commence the transfer through the world fastest means on money transfer (WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER). At this moment, we
have gotten an approval from the minister of finance DR MARK PADONOU to start the transfer
immediately.

On this note be informed that we have started working with Western Union Money Transfer in collaboration with ECOBANK BENIN . You will be receiving Five Thousand US Dollars ($5 000.00) every day until your total sum of One Million Dollars($1 000 000.00) is fully paid.

And your payment instrument has been passed to ECOBANK BENIN western union money transfer for your onward transfer of your principal sum.

You are therefore advice to contact western union money transfer office here through email
wumt.beninrepublicc@hotmail.fr or call direct +229 98 131 200 for more the rest of the information to enable quick pick up. They will forward the details information to receive the money with, such as receivers and senders name with the money control numbers upon your contact
for it.

For official endorsement, you are advice to send to the office any of your scanned valid identity,
country and city,name, full address and direct contact numbers immediately so that you can
receive your money today.Thanks for using our best service, I wait for your response.

Sincerely

Mrs Charity Uwaoma
Director International Monetary Fund.
West African Regional Office

Anti-fraud resources: