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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Welcome to Western Union"<test@bentex.com.tw>
Reply-To: <westernunion.department247@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 19:05:55 -0700
Subject: HOWEVER YOU ARE ADVISED TO CONTACT WESTERN UNION OFFICE +234-802-8868-340

ATTN DEAR,

THE MANAGEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL BANK OF BERMUDA UK, WISHES TO INFORM YOU THAT WE ARE IN RECEIPT OF OUR DRAFT CHEQUE ISSUED IN YOUR FAVOUR WITH CASH AMOUNT OF $1.500, 000.00 ONLY, FROM YOUR AGENT AND HE TOLD US TO ARRANGE YOUR PAYMENT TO BE AVAILABLE BY WESTERN UNION DUE TO YOU CAN NOT BE ABLE TO CASH THE TOTAL $1.5MILLION CHEQUE,

YOU ARE NOW ADVISED TO CONTACT WESTERN UNION OFFICE IMMEDIATELY AND SEND THEM YOUR DETAILS WHERE THEY CAN START SENDING YOUR PAYMENT TO YOU AS WE BOOKED WITH WESTERN UNION OFFICE TO START REMITTING YOUR PAYMENT RIGHT FROM TOMORROW IF POSSIBLE YOU CONTACT THEM AS TODAY: THE AMOUNT THEY WILL SEND YOU EVERY DAY IS $5000.00 TILL YOU RECEIVE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF YOUR $1.500.000.00 CHEQUE.

YOU CAN CONTACT THE DIRECTOR OF WESTERN UNION OFFICE ON THIS WEB ADDRESS (westernunion.department247@gmail.com) BEFORE THEY CAN PROCEED YOUR PAYMENT BY TOMORROW YOU WILL SEND THE SUM OF $258 TO THEM TO ENABLE THEM REVENUE THE CHEQUE AND START SENDING IT YOU IMMEDIATELY TOMORROW AS YOU CAN SEND THEM THIS INFO

RECEIVER NAME..........
CITY..............................
COUNTRY......................
GENDER........................
TELEPHONE..................
QUESTION TEST............
ANSWER.......................

THE DIRECTOR OF WESTERN UNION WILL EMAIL YOU THE TRACKING DETAILS YOU NEED TO PICK YOUR A DAY PAYMENT OVER THERE. THE WESTERN UNION OFFICE IS NOW WAITING FOR YOUR DETAILS WHERE THEY CAN START SENDING YOUR A PAYMENT RIGHT FROM TOMORROW.

THANKS FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR RICHARD LEE.
Cell: +234-802-8868-340

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