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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• 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.
  • westernmoneytransfer@net.hr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "koffi brown" <koffibrown00@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 17:44:00 +0100
Subject: CALL FOR DETAILS WESTERN UNION


Welcome to Western Union
Send Money Worldwide
MRS.JANE JACK
FROM THE DESK Of WESTERN UNION REMMITANCE DEPT

Our Ref : WUMT0XX2/987. Dear: Beneficiary GOOD NEWS.There is an issue with
the WESTERN UNION TRANSFER UNITED STATE OF AMERICA in the amount of $1.5
million USD directed in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03, at the
owner of this email address. The INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND contacted us
for the release of your money a couple of hours ago due to your allocated
security code.

They said that they choose to send it to you through western union instead
of courrier services because there's many fake courrier company here so we
dont trust any of them. We are unable to complete a transfer directed at an
email address,so we require some more information in order to complete this
transfer.

FULL NAME:
FULL CONTACT ADDRESS.
MOBILE PHONE NUMBER:
MARITAL STATUS AND AGE:
CONTACT THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WITH THIS E-mail :
westernmoneytransfer@net.hr
Contact Person : MARK BEN

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 benin Republic Head Office and
our Motto is To Serve You Better. we will be sending you $5,000 United State
Dollars every day because to transfer the total money to your account will
cost you big money for the transfering.*

As soon as this information is received,and you have complied with the
requirements of payment of the western union charges of $275, payment will
be made to your nominated bank account or at the counter directly from The
Western Union Transfering Bank.That is why united nations give us order to
be sending you $5,000 United State Dollars every day.Also note that you
would be receiveing $5,000 for each transfer that's how we are going to pay
you your $1.5 million usd $5,000 United State Dollars per a transfer.

THE MANAGEMENT OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER, BENIN HEAD OFFICE DISPATCHED
THIS DAY.

BEST REGARDS,
MRS.JANE JACK . (303)
Welcome to Western Union
Send Money Worldwide

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam