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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 Payment <linkertodd@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: westernunion1369@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:07:45 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: YOUR PAYMENT IS READY BY WESTERN UNION





WELCOME TO WESTERN UNION DEPARTMENT OFFICE
178 VICTORIA ISLAND BENIN REPUBLIC,
01 B.P. 2020, BENIN REPUBLIC
E-Mail westernun@live.com
Website: www.westernunion.com
Contact Person:Rev Chris Aguleri
Tele phone Number:+22998892244,+22999035386.

 

ATTN:BENEFICIARY

This is to acknowledge the receipt  We are instructed to send your funds to your address in your city by Western Union office from here in Benin Republic office Western Union money transfer and you will be receiving your fund ( $5,000 U.S.D) per day until you received all your total payment which is the sum of $1.5Million USD as scheduled in our office here.
 
We wish to convey to you that every other necessary arrangement for transmission of your payment has been completed by the Western Union Office , But we will not hesitate to inform you that it is now your responsibility to officially settle for the re-validation administrative charges of your payment file in order to enhance a successful transfer of your payment without any obstruction along the line.
 
Furthermore, we are therefore notifying you that you are to officially make an administrative charge of ($85 only) to enable us process the validation of your payment file through our head office here. Note In Western Union transaction when an amount of fund in transition is more than $5000,USDollars, the document file will be validation before the transfer will commence as ordered by the Federal Ministry of Finance and in all the Western Union of the world-wide.
 
We want you to know that this is a legitimate transfer and that is why our Federal Ministry of Finace said that your Fund which was deposited at this Western Union with your name must be validation before the transfer will commence.Be rest assure that as soon you send this $85 USD we must start transferring your fund to you through this Western Union Department without any further delay and this is the only fee you have to pay in this transaction as it was written down already by the Federal government of this country that mapped out the compensation for you.

You should send the $85 via Western Union money transfer through the name of our cashier manager Mr.Felix Ogbuagu  Below is the destination address:
 
RECEIVER'S NAME... UDE JOSEPH
COUNTRY…… .Benin Republic .
CITY…………Cotonou
AMOUNT… $85
TEST QUESTION……GOD
SECURITY ANSWER……………BLESS
Refference Number…………
 
We are waiting to hear from you today with the fee to enable this department to release your fund immediately. Looking forward for your anticipated response.
 
Very best regards,
Rev. Chris Aguleri
Director Western Union
International Benin Republic.
E-Mail westernun@live.com



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