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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 Money Transfer" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <easytransfer2011@w.cn>
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2011 06:26:47 +0100
Subject: WU Payment Notice

I write to inform you that we have transferred USD$400,000 dollars.
I called to give you the information through on
phone number but we could not reach you even this
morning.So,I decided to email you the
information so that you can start cashing your
money in USD5000.00 daily installment with the same
MTCN and sender's name which will be valid for
20 days until you cash the full $$400,000usd
as it automatically activates for use for 20 days
after the first reactivation.

The money is available for pick up which was deposited
for transfer to you by one Mr Bernard Harry from
BLACK BERRY MOBILE LOTTERY , the money is available
for pick up by receiver(you) but you can not cash it due to its restriction
from our head office in UK for security reason
because it has stayed too long on air as we have been trying
to reach you on the phone for some days now but it has not reachable,
so it was blocked for security reason to prevent hackers
from having access to it despite the fact that it displays available
for pick up when you track it a block was placed
on it for security reasons. Therefore you can not cash it
in any western union office due to the restriction
from our head office in UK,which was a security measure
because the money have been on air for three days
now and maybe at risk, hence the mtcn has to be
reactivated to enable you start cashing your fund from any western
union office in your city, vicinity, state. etc. The
reactivation of the MTCN will cost you a token of $100,
once this is paid, our head office will release the fund on
hold to enable you cash it.To be sure of this please
log on to www.westernunion.com and click on track
and enter the sender's info and mtcn below and click check status
to see the availability of the transfer.

Sender name: Udezuo Anthony
Test question: In god
Test answer: We Trust
Amount: $5000
MTCN:9241840630

With due respect please get back to me urgently after
tracking the money online so i can instruct you on how
to send the $100 to us for the reactivation of the MTCN.

Thanks
Best Regards
Mr.Allan Fredrick
western union Office,
NIGERIA OFFICE.
Western Union® Money Transfer
Western Union® Money Transfer

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