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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 <update----office23@att.net>
Reply-To: western_union2222@9.cn
Date: Tue, 8 Mar 2011 14:18:07 -0800 (PST)
Subject: FUND TRANSFER OF $6000:00 USD




ATTN:BENEFICIARY.

FUND TRANSFER OF $6000:00 USD

INFORMATION REACHING US FROM OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS NOW, STATES THAT YOU ONLY HAVE 48HOURS TO EFFECT PAYMENT FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR MTCN TO ENABLE YOU CASH UP YOUR FIRST $6000:00 USD FROM YOUR TOTAL (FUND) SINCE YOU ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE THIS PAYMENT WE HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU ARE TO GO AHEAD AND PAY WHATEVER YOU HAVE FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE SINCE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE REQUIRED SUM, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE.

YOU ARE TO PAY WHAT EVER YOU HAVE LIKE $50USD OR $60USD FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE; WE WILL ACTIVATE YOUR MTCN UPON RECEIPT OF THIS PAYMENT. HERE IS THE PAYMENT FOR THE $6000.00 USD BUT YOU CAN NOT PICK IT UP BECUASE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE WESTERN UNION SAY THAT BEFORE YOU PICK THAT MONEY YOU MUCH PAY THE ANY AMOUNT YOU HAVE OK

WEBSITE:WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM CLICK TRACKING
SENDER'S FIRST NAME::===  RICHARD  
SENDER'S LAST NAME: :=== HOLMES
MTCN NUMBER:=== 3578857898
QUESTION====GOD IS
TEST ANSWER===GOOD
AMOUNT====$6000:00 USD

BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION UPON CASHING UP OF YOUR FIRST $6000:00 USD, ALSO I AM USING THIS MEDIUM TO INFORM YOU THAT FAILURE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM WILL LEAVE US WITH NO OPTION BUT TO DEACTIVATE YOUR MTCN OF WHICH YOU WILL AND CAN NEVER CASH UP THE BALANCE SUM I WANT YOU TO SEND THE RENEWING AND TRANSFER FEE WITH THE INFORMATION BELLOW.

1.RECEIVER NAME:.....MR OKECHUKWU CHIBIKE
2.COUNTRY:...........BENIN REPUBLIC
3.CITY :.............COTONOU
4.TEST QUESTION:.....HONEST
5.TEST ANSWER:.......TRUST
6.AMOUNT ............$50USD OR $60USD
7.SENDER NAME........?
8.MTCN NUMBER.........?

SEND US THE MTCN NUMBER IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND THE MONEY AND IMMEDIATELY WE CONFIRM THE TRANSFER FEE WE WILL SEND YOU THE FIRST RECIEPT OF YOUR $6000:00 USD TODAY AND NOT TOMORROW REGARDS MY DIRECT PHONE LINE IS +229_98284176 CONTACT THIS EMAIL: western_union2222@9.cn  RICHARD HOLMES FROM WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC FOR YOUR PAYMENT

DR  RICHARD HOLMES
OPRATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION DEPARTMENT

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