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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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• 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:
  • "activation fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
  • "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
  • "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
  • "you are required to pay " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
  • "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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Online Coordinator"<blessing_0@live.fr>
Reply-To: <westen-union-benin@live.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Jul 2009 00:54:55 -0800
Subject: WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.

REPUBLIC OF BENIN WESTERN UNION OFFICE
BRANCH: PLOT 785 INDUSTRIAL AVENUE
TEl: (+229)98 17 73 83 / Fax: (00229) 21 33 80 80
EMAIL:westen-union-benin@live.com
MONEY TRANSFER URGENT BANK
TRUSTED AND URGENT TRANSFER OF MONEY
FROM BENIN TO ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.


ATTN;BENEFICAIRY,

WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO SEND YOU FUND TO YOUR ADDRESS IN YOUR CITY FROM THE FINACIAL DEPARTMENT HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC.AND THE PAYMENT WILL BE COMING TO YOU BY ( $5000.00 U.S.D ) PER DAY AND YOU WILL RECEIVE THE TOTAL SUM OF YOUR MONEY.

BE REST ASSURE THAT THE PAYMENT INFORMATION YOU NEED TO PICK UP YOUR $5000.00 PAYMENT IN ANY WESTERN UNION INTERNATIONAL MONEY TRANSFER THEIR IN YOUR COUNTRY WILL BE FOWARDING TO YOU ONCE WE MADE THE PAYMENT TO YOU.

FINALY,I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PAY US $299 FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR PAYMENT SLIP AND TRY TO UNDESTAND THAT THERE IS NO MORE FEE AFTER THIS BECAUSE YOUR TRANSFER HAVE BEEN WELL ARRENGE NOW AND IT IS ONLY FOR US TO ACTIVATE YOUR PAYMENT SLIP TO HELP US RELEASE YOUR PAYMENT,AND BE REST ASSURE THAT ONCE WE RECEIVE THE $299 TODAY.

THEN YOUR PAYMENT SLIP WILL ACTIVATE IMMEDIATELY AND I WILL ATTACH COPY OF YOUR PAYMENT INFORMATION OF YOUR FIRST $5000.00 AND THEM FORWARD IT TO YOU FOR YOUR FASTER COLLECTION OF YOUR FUND AT WESTERN UNION INTERNATIONAL THEIR IN YOUR CITY.

REASON WHY WE NEED YOU TO SEND US THE $299 USD IS THAT WE TRIED TO DIDUCT THE ACTIVATION FEE OUT FROM YOUR FUND BUT THE MINISTER AMINISTRATOR TRUST FUND OF BENIN REPUBLIC AND THE (IMF) 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.(PLEASE NOTIC)DON'T SEND YOUR EMAIL PASSWORD TO ANY ONE. IF YOU HAVE SEND TO ANY ONE CHANGE IT VERY IMPROTANT.

YOU CAN SEND THE ACTIVATION FEE TO OUR ACCOUNTACT RECEIVER AGENT TO ENABLE US PROCEED ON FOR YOUR PAYMENT IMMEDIATELY.

RECEIVER NAME / BLESSING PAUL.

CITY /COTONOU.

COUNTRY /BENIN REPUBLIC.

SECURITY QUESTION/ IN WHOM WE TRUST .

SECURITY ANSWER / IN GOD.

MTCN#......................?

SENDER'S NAME...............?


WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MESSAGE TO QUICKEN THE PROCESS.
YOURS IN SERVICE,
MRS.LOVE KOFI.
WESTERN UNION INTERNATIONAL MONEY TRANSFER
GENERAL MANAGER BENIN RUPBLIC.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam