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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 B.R." <cunitedstate@gmail.com>
Reply-To: western_ubb@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2012 15:00:09 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: YOUR PAYMENT IS READY







OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU, ANKPA ROAD OPPOSITE TUNDE MOTORS COTONOU.
TELEPHONE +22998892244
(western_ub@yahoo.com.hk)
 
ATTN; BENEFICIARY
 
THIS IS THE SAME WESTERN UNION THAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH FROM REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
 
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 $5,000:00 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 $70 FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE SINCE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE REQUIRED SUM  TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE.
 
THIS IS THE SAME WESTERN UNION THAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH , SO DON'T BE CONFUSE WE ARE DOING IT FOR YOUR  HELP SINCE YOU DON'T HAVE THE REQUIRE SUM , SO GO AND SEND THE $70, WE WILL  ACTIVATE YOUR MTCN AND SEND TO YOU TODAY, UPON RECEIPT OF THIS PAYMENT.
 
BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION UPON CASHING UP OF YOUR FIRST 5,000:00 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. SO I WANT YOU TO SEND THE AMOUNT OF $70 TODAY.
 
WITH THIS INFORMATION BELLOW. AND UPDATE US AMOUNT THAT YOU SEND AND THE MTCN.
 
1.RECEIVER NAME:......AMECHI PETER
2.COUNTRY:............. BENIN REPUBLIC.
3.CITY :............... COTONOU .
4..TEST QUESTION:....WHEN
5.TEST ANSWER:......TODAY.
6.AMOUNT ..........$70
 
 
SEND US THE MTCN NUMBER IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND THE MONEY AND IMMEDIATELY WE CONFIRM THE TRANSFER FEE WE WILL SEND YOU THE FIRST RECEIPT OF YOUR $5000 TODAY AND NOT TOMORROW REGARDS MY DIRECTOR PHONE LINE IS +22998892244 DR. EMMA ERI  FROM WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC FOR YOUR PAYMENT
 

SINCERELY
DIRECTOR DR. EMMA  ERI.
TELEPHONE +229-98892244 OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU, ANKPA ROAD OPPOSITE

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