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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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:
  • "00,000.00" (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.
  • +22993132038 (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.
  • info_western_u@sify.com

Fraud email example:

From: marcguer013 <marcguer013@gmail.com>
Reply-To: emmanduka06@myway.com
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:27:37 +0100
Subject: FROM WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OFFICE


FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA ROAD
OPPOSITE TUNDE MOTORS COTONOU...
WEB SITE.www.westernunion.com http://site.www.westernunion.com/

ATTN:BENEFICIARY


WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO SEND YOUR FUND ($800,000.00 US)TO YOUR ADDRESS IN YOUR
CITY FOR YOUR COMPENSATION THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER FROM THE
FINACIAL DEPARTMENT HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC.YOU WILL BE RECEIVING YOUR FUND (
$5000 U.S.D ) PER DAY AND YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR TOTAL FUND WITHIN 40 DAYS.
YOU ARE REQUIRE TO SEND US OUR TRANSFER CHARGES THE SUM OF $225dollar FOR
THE
$5000 THAT WE HAVE ALREADY SEND, MEANWHILE SEND THE $225dollar TO US
IMMEDIATELY TODAY FOR FASTER SENDING OF YOUR FUND CORRECTLY BY TOMORROW
MORNING.

REASON WHY WE NEED YOU TO SEND US THE FEE IS THAT WE TRIED TO DIDUCT THE
TRANSFERING FEE OUT FROM YOUR FUND BUT THE MINISTER AMINISTRATOR TRUST FUND
OF
BENIN REPUBLIC TOLD US THAT NO ONE HAS RIGHT OVER YOUR FUND AS IT HAVE BEEN
SIGNED AND STAMPED THAT NO MONEY SHOULD BE DIDUCTED UNTIL IT GETS TO YOUR
HANDS
TO AVOID STEALING SOME OF THE FUNDS.

HERE IS THE ONE WE SEND TO YOU BUT IT WILL REMAIN ON HOLD UNTIL YOU SEND US
OUR
TRANSFER CHARGES OF $225dollar BEFORE WE CAN REALISE IT MEANWHILE YOU CAN
TRACK YOUR MONEY AND CONFIRM THE MTCN BY
WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM<http://www.westernunion.com/>

MTCN: 9774380293
Sender´s First Name: William
Sender Last Name: SAINT

USE THIS INFORMATION TO SEND THE CHARGE FEE IMMEDIATELY THROUGH WESTERN
UNION
MONEY TRANSFER TO OR THROUGH MONEY GRAM TO ENABLE US RELEASE YOUR $5,000
DOLLAR IMMEDIATELY .

NAME.........LUKAS GEORGE
COUNTRY.........BENIN REPUBLIC WEST AFRICA
CITY..........COTONOU
TEXT QUESTION...........WHO IS LORD
ANSWER.........................JESUS
MTC NUMBER...................
SENDERS NAME..............
AMOUNT SEND............

WE ARE WAITING FOR YOUR PAYMENT INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN RELEASE YOUR
$5,000
DOLLAR IMMEDIATELY.



YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS HIGHLY NEEDED .
WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MESSAGE TO QUICKEN THE
PROCESS.

CONTACT OUR CUSTOMER OFFICE IMMEDIATELY AND ASK FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR
FIRST
PAYMENT.

EMAIL(info_western_u@sify.com)
TELEPHONE NUMBER....................+229-93132038

REGARDS
DR. RICHARD CHIMA
FORIGN OPERATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLICIN
EMAIL......info_western_u@sify.com
TELEPHONE NUMBER.................................+229-93132038

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam