419 scam: "MR.WILLIAMS JOHNSON" <tony------lee@att.net> FROM INTERNPOL POLICE FORCE UNIT.

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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:

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:
- "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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
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.
- +22996897830 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR.WILLIAMS JOHNSON" <tony------lee@att.net>
Reply-To: internpol_police_force_unit@admin.in.th
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:14:13 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: FROM INTERNPOL POLICE FORCE UNIT.

FROM INTERNPOL POLICE FORCE UNIT.
GTD ROAD ABI COTONOU REPUBLIQUE DU BENIN:
HEATTHROW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT COMMAND,LONDON,UNITED KINGDO
FAX: +229-96-89-78-30   RC-32657,

(INTERPOL)RC-32657, HEATTHROW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT COMMAND, MR HILARY OWEN. CALL.( CODE NUMBER ) ( BJ/XXL14160LONDON, UNITEDKINGDOMRC32657, HEATTHROWINTERNATIONAL   AIRPORTCOMMAND,BENINREPUBLIC P HONEFAX:+229-96-89-78-30 ;RC-32657 EMAIL (WE ARE PROUD OF OUR IMAGE AND OUR PRAYER IS TO GOD GIVE US MORE KNOWLEDGE FOR OUR DUTY, GOD BLESS INTERPOL)

ATTENTION: MY DEAR,

THIS IS TO BRING IT TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THE INTERNATIONAL POLICE BENIN BRANCH WEST AFRICA ( INTERPOL) ARE HERE BY OFFICIAL INFORM YOU THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REPUBLIC OF BENIN   HAS INTRUCTED US TO CARRY ON THE INVESTIGATION CONCERNING THE BUSINESS TRANSACTION THAT YOU ARE HAVING OVER HERE IN THE AFRICA AND AFTER OUR INVESTIGATION CONSULTANT WITH WEST AFRICA MONETARY INSTITUTE ( WAMI ) SO EVERY INVETSIGATION CONCERNING YOUR FUND WAS HANDED OVER TO US PER THE MEETING THAT WAS GOING ON FOR PASS 7 DAYS WHICH ENDED TODAY,

CONFIDENTIAL NOTE ; WE ARE HERE TO OFFICIAL INFORM YOU THAT OUR MENS HAVE GO TO WESTERN TODAY AND SECURE THE CHEQUE FROM THE OFFICE OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER AGENCY THA T SURPOSE TO TRANSFER THE FUND TO YOU THROUGH THEIR WESTERN UNION OFFICE AS IT RESULT THAT THE CHEQUE IS VERY HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO BE TRANSFER THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER ,SO THE CHEQUE IS NOW IN OUR CUSTODY.

AS RESULT, BE INFORM THAT THE CHEQUE IS NOW ON OUR CUSTODY AND WE DECIDED TO DELIVER THE CHEQUE TO YOU VIA COURIER COMPANY SOTHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR FUND IMMEDAITELY WITH OUT ANY FURTHER DELAYING FOR YOU TO NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH ANY OFFICE OR DEPARTMENT THAT IS MONETARY YOUR FUND AS WE ARE CONCERN ON THIS MATTER,

NOW, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO NOW IS TO MEET UP WITH OUR REQUEST SO THAT WE CAN RELEASE YOUR CHEQUE AND DELIVERY IT TO YOU DOORPOST IMMEDIATELY WITH OUT HAVING ANY OTHER PROBLEM BUT THE ONLY THING THAT HOLDING YOUR FUND HERE IS THAT YOU HAVE TO RE-CONFIRM TO US YOUR FULL INFORMATION WHERE TO SEND THE CHEQUE TO YOU AND YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE DELIVERY SERVICE CHARGE WHICH IS $55 DOLLARS ONLY FOR SAFE DELIVERING YOU ARE HERE ADVICE TO URGENTLY SEND TO US THE DELIVERY SERVICE CHARGE THAT MUST TO PAY BY THE BENEFICIAL AS WHICH IS $55.OOUSD AND YOUR FULL INFORMATION AS BELOW SO THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR CHEQUE IMMEDAITELY

YOUR FULL NAME
YOUR DELIVERY ADDRESS
YOUR DIRECT PHONE NUMBER
YOUR COUNTRY

AND YOU HAVE TO SEND THE MONEY WITH THE NAME OF OUR AGENT ON THE INFORMATION BELOW THROUGH ANY WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER AGENCY OR MONEY GRAM,

RECEIVERS::::::::::::::::::::: ONOCHIE GABRIEL
COUNTRY::::::::::::::::::::::: :BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY:::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::COTONOU
TEST QUESTION ::::::::::::GOD
TEST ANSWER::::::::::::::::BLESS
AMOUT :::::::::::::::::::::::::::$55
MTCN:::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::

DO SEND TO US THE PAYMENT INFORMATION IMMIDIATELY YOU SENT THE MONEY FOR THE¨PURPOSE OF DELIVERY CHARGE ONLY NEEDED.
INTERPOL POLICE FORCE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI), IS WORKING TOWARDS THE RECOVERY OF FUNDS AND RETURN OF STOLEN ASSETS. THIS PROJECT ALLOWS INTERPOL TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT BODIES IN CO-ORDINATED EFFORTS TO TRACE, SEIZE, CONFISCATE AND RETURN PUBLIC FUNDS TO VICTIM COUNTRIES AND INDIVDUALS. BE R EST ASSURED THAT UPON RECEIPT OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION AND THE DELIVERYING FEE OF $55. USD,WE WILL PROCEED IN DELIVERING OF YOUR CONSIGNMENT TO YOU IMMEDIATELY. FOR SECURITY REASONS ENDEAVOUR TO INDICATE THIS ( CODE NUMBER ) ( BJ/XXL14160) THIS CODE SHOWS THAT YOU ARE THE RIGHTFUL OWNER OF THE CONSIGNMENT BOX.

INTERPOL REGIONAL OFFICE BENIN
OFFICE IN CHARGE; SUPP. MR.WILLIAMS JOHNSON, CALL FAX:+229-96-89-78-30 ;RC-32657, OR CONTACT MR.WILLIAMS JOHNSON.. IMMEDAITELY YOU MADE THEPAYMENT AS BELLOW

THANKS AND GOD BLESS
MR.WILLIAMS JOHNSON
TEL; +229-98-45-12-88

FROM INTERNPOL POLICE FORCE UNIT.
GTD ROAD ABI COTONOU REPUBLIQUE DU BENIN:
FAX: +229-96-89-78-30;RC-32657,
,HEATTHROW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT COMMAND,LONDON,UNITED KINGDOM

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