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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: Western Union <westernunoin@w.cn>
Reply-To: w.esternunion@accountant.com
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 04:03:51 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: YOUR URGENT RESPOND NEEDED


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Welcome  to Western
Union
 
    

 
 
 
ATTENTION: DEAR
CUSTOMER,
 
THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU ABOUT THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT CONCERNING ALL
YOUR PAYMENTS THAT ARE LEFT IN OUR CUSTODY WHICH YOUR ARE SUPPOSE TO RECEIVE
EARLIER LAST MONTH 28TH JUNE 2010, BESIDES YOUR WHERE GIVEN A BILL OF $300 IN
ORDER TO RECEIVE YOUR PAYMENTS OF WHICH WE DIDN’T HEAR FROM YOU FOR SOMETIME
NOW....
 
HENCE, OUR WESTERN UNION IS NOW OFFERING A SPECIAL BONUS TO HELP ALL
OUR CUSTOMERS THAT ARE HAVING THEIR PAYMENTS IN OUR CUSTODY DUE TO OF PRICES IN
ORDER WORDS, WE ARE NOW REQUESTING THAT YOU SHOULD ONLY PAY THE SUM OF $100 ONLY
TO RECEIVE YOUR PAYMENTS.
BESIDES, MY DEAR THESE ARE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO COMPLY AND YOUR
FUNDS SHALL BE TRANSFER TO YOUR DESIGNATED ADDRESS.
 
BUT REMEMBER THAT AFTER (3 DAYS) YOU DID NOT MAKE THE PAYMENT THEN WE
WILL CANCEL YOUR TRANSFERS, SO TRY TO AVOID THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THIS YEAR IS
NOT LIKE LAST YEAR.
 
AGAIN AFTER (THREE DAYS) WE WILL ENTER A NEW PROJECT FOR THE YEAR AND
THAT IS THE REASON WHY WE DECIDED TO HELP YOU BEFORE WE ENTER INTO THE NEW
PROJECT.
 
SO BE ADVISE TO SEND THE $100 TODAY SO THAT WE WILL REGISTER AND
UPDATE YOUR PAYMENTS AND FOR YOU TO START RECEIVING YOUR $2,500 DAILY AS FROM
TODAY. BE ADVICE THAT THERE IS NO TIME AGAIN FOR WE TO CALL ANY PERSON ON PHONE
UNLESS YOU WILL CALL.
 
PHONE: + 229-98534430
E-MAIL: W.ESTERNUNION@ACCOUNTANT.COM
 
AFTER THE PAYMENT OF $100 YOU WILL START RECEIVING YOUR MONEY EVERY
DAY $2,500 THROUGH WESTERN UNION. BELOW IS THE MTCN# WHICH YOU WILL USE TO PICK
UP THE FIRST $2,500 IT WILL BE UPDATE IN FEW HOURS TIME ONCE WE RECEIVE THE FEE
FROM YOU.
 
MTCN: 910-259-9255
SENDER’S NAME: LOUIS
LAST NAME:    
ROMAN
 
DON’T EXPOSE THIS NUMBERS TO ANYBODY ELSE. YOU SHOULD SEND THE $100
THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WITH THE WRITTEN INFORMATIONS BELOW AND
EMAIL ME BACK WITH THE PAYMENT INFORMATIONS ONCE YOU HAVE DONE
THAT.
 
RECEIVER: INNOCENT, CHUKWUKA, MORBA
COUNTRY: BENIN
STATE:  
COTONOU
TEXT     QUESTION: NOW ?
ANSWER:  YES
AMOUNT:  $100.00
USD
MTCN#
 
NOTE THAT WITHIN 3 DAYS  IF YOU DO NOT REMIT THE REQUIRED $100 THE
TRANSFER WILL BE RETRIEVE BACK AND REMEMBER THAT THE MONEY DETAILS GIVEN TO YOU
ABOVE HAVE NOT BE UPDATED YET UNTIL YOU MAKE THE PAYMENT $100 USD, THEN WE PUT
YOUR NAME AS THE RECEIVER.
 
NOTE: THIS IS THE ONLY PAYMENT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE IN THIS
REGARDS FOR EVERY OTHER FEE HAVE BEEN WAIVED BY THE FEDERAL MINISTARY. SECONDLY,
THIS IS THE FINAL STAGE OF THIS TRANSFER. AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE THE FEE THEN
UPDATE YOUR TRANSFER FILES AND WE PUT YOUR NAME AS THE RECEIVER.
 
WAITING ON YOUR URGENT RESPONSE
 
YOURS IN SERVICE
MR LOUIS ROMAN.
FROM WESTERN UNION OFFICE
BENIN





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