419 scam: "Secretary to Africa Fund Monitoring Unit (AFMU)"<info.afmu01@gmail.com> CONFIRM YOUR WESTERN UNION MTCN: 9631887537

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
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. )
- "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.
- +22998169877 (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.
- pmukami@mail.md (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Secretary to Africa Fund Monitoring Unit (AFMU)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <pmukami01@mail.md>
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2010 15:27:40 +0100
Subject: CONFIRM YOUR WESTERN UNION MTCN: 9631887537

Attention: Beneficiary,

I write to inform you that we have already sent you US$4,500.00 Dollars through Western Union Money Transfer as we have been mandated to transfer your full compensation payment of US$1,200,000.00 via Western Union by AFRICA UNION AND IMF as part of the ongoing compensation programm for victims.

I was mandated to email you the MTCN and sender name so you can pick up the total USD4,500.00 to enable us send another US$4,500.00 immediately as you know we will be sending you only US$4,500.00 per day untill you receive all the money.
Contact your payment/ verification officer immediately you reeive this mail

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK,
CONTACT PERSON: BEN P. BRUCE
TEL/FAX: 00229 98169877
Email: pmukami@mail.md

Contact him immediatel y for further directives.
Here is the western union information to pick up your initial compensation payment USD4,500.00

SENDER'S INFORMATION:

NAME: NONSO FRANCIS
MTCN: 9631887537
QUESTION: WHAT FOR
ANSWER: COMPENSATION
AMOUNT: USD 4,500.00
TRACK THE INFORMATION WITH THIS WEB SITE.
www.westernunion.com
JUST COPY AND PASTE WHILE TRACKING.

NOTE: YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PAY A FEE OF $196:= (One hundred and Ninrty Six united states dollars only ) BEING THE ACTIVATION FEE FOR PAYMENT BEFORE WE WILL BE OBLIGED TO RELEASE THE MONEY FROM THE WESTERN UNION HERE.
You are therefore directed to send the $196.00 only with the name of the western union officer below to enable us direct western union here to release the payment for pick from your end.

NAME OF RECEIVER: WILLIAMS MICHAEL
CITY: COTONOU
COUNTRY: BENIN REPUBLIC
TEST QUESTION: ABC
ANSWER: XYZ

Note: Do not reply to this mail but contact rather contact Mt. Ben. Bruce on: Email: pmukami@mail.md
and try to call there official tel/fax number as stated above for further directives as we will send you another $4,500 tomorrow after we have confirmed that you have picked up this one.

Thanks,

Mrs. Veronica Edou
Secretary to Africa Fund Monitoring Unit (AFMU)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam