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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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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:
  • "million united state 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)
  • "hundred thousand united state 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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "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 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.
  • +22993684478 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • western_u_off_benin@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • 3bwestern_u_off_benin@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2008 16:59:46 +0200
Subject: CONTACT THE WESTER UNION FOR YOUR


From Financial Minister
Federal republic of Benin.
oreign Contractor Payment
Office
Attention: Beneficiarey,
now we have arranged your payment of ($1.5Million) One Million five hundred
thousand united state dollars in atm payment card to be sent to you through
western union money transfer payment: Your payment will sending to you by
western union, the amount you will receive per day is $5,000 .
The minister trust funds of Benin Republic will send you the currently
standards track details you need to pick up your ($5,000) payment by western
union, you will receive every day till you receive the $1.5Million united
state dollars, now no need to send you this atm card because you can not be
able to withdraw the atm card due to the atm master card contain large money
on it. The director administrtor trust funds have already signed your
payment, now you are free to comply with wemaco payment office on this
email:(western_u_off_benin@hotmail.com) however, kindly contact the below
person who
is in position to release your payment by western union per $5,000 a day.
Mr.Larry Dan,
western union department
Financial Bank Benin,
Mobile: +229 93-68-44-78.
E-mail:;western_u_off_benin@hotmail.com<E-mail%3A%3Bwestern_u_off_benin@hotmail.com>
The financial western union payment canter has been mandated to issue out
yourpayment and you have to stop any further communication with any other
person(s) or office(s) to avoid any hitches in receiving your payment. Note
that the administrator payment need this details from you to process your
payment:
Receiver name---------------
Country---------------------
City------------------------
Tel-------------------------
Test question---------------
Answer----------------------
Copy of your id.............
Comply now because as soon as you sent this required details to Mr.Jerry
Wood he will start sending your payment by western union We await to receive
the western union payment informationsimmedaitely. Please if you are not the
real beneficiary dont repond or dalete this message.
Yours in service
Financial Minister
Federal republic of Benin
Raph Dike
WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam