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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "you are advise to" (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 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.
  • westernunionmoneytransfer_dt@yahoo.ca

Fraud email example:

From: Calvin Lehman <clehman04_info@yahoo.com.au>
Reply-To: cleehman_info@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 5 May 2009 03:53:24 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Welcome to Western Union,


Welcome to Western Union,
Send Money Worldwide,
FINANCIAL MINISTER OF.FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
FOR GIN PAYMENT OFFICE

Attention:Beneficiary,
 
We have concluded with the M/D of Diamond Bank here in Benin Republic that you should start receiving your payment of $900.000.00usd through western union money transfer from today, but you will be receiving $5000.00 USD only per a day.
 
This includes every foreign contractors, inheritance beneficiaries and lottery winners that may have not received their respective payments, and people that have had an unfinished transaction or international businesses that failed due to Government problems.
 
So you are advise to contact the western union Operator Mr Charles Prevail right now and re-confirm your information to him so that you will receive your first payment immediately from now.Contact address,(westernunionmoneytransfer_dt@yahoo.ca)
 
And here is the information you need to send to him.
 
Your Receiver's Name.-------------
Your Country's name /code.........
Tel phone number...............
Full Address. ...............
Test Q........................
Answer ....................
 
All this information is to avoid sending your money to another tripe.
 
Yours in service,
C.Lehman
Financial Minister Federal republic of Benin. 
 
 


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam