419 scam: "Mr Frank John " <administrator@vhinfonet.com> FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION YOUR FUND,

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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. )
- "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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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. )
- "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)
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 free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- upsdeliverycompny@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Frank John " <administrator@vhinfonet.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2012 06:05:50 +0530 (IST)
Subject: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION YOUR FUND,

UPS GROUND DELIVERY TIME, OVERNIGHT DELIVERY IS AVAILABLE ANYWHERE IN THE US.IN ORDER TO DETERMINE
HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO GET YOUR ORDER YOU CAN CHECK OUT OUR OUTLETS BRANCHES AT.....
EMAIL:upsdeliverycompny@hotmail.com
CONTACT PERSON: AKOFOR SAMUEL
PLOT 76 MALUNFASHI CLOSE, GARKI
CUSTOMER SERVICE

ATTN: MY DEAR
I HEREBY RE-CONFIRM YOUR SHIPMENT INFORMATION ONCE AGAIN, FOR THE DELIVERING OF YOUR REGISTERED
PACKAGE ONLINE TO OUR OFFICE

1) SHIPMENT CODE AWB 33XQT
2) PACKAGE REGISTERED CODE NO XFT477
3) SECURITY CODE SCTC /5501BDHX/844
4) TRANSACTIONS CODE 0477/QSTC/117/330478/
5) CERTIFICATES CODE SQTCF/BHDN/XXIQ/-78/00.

6) REFERENCE NO.-35460021, ALLOCATION NO: 674632 PASSWORD NO: 339331, PIN CODE NO: 55674 AND YOUR
CERTIFICATE OF MERIT PAYMENT NO: 103, RELEASED CODE NO: 0763; IMMEDIATE TELEX CONFIRMATION NO:
-1114433; SECRET CODE NO: XXTN013

NOTE: YOUR TRACKING NUMBER WILL BE SEND TO YOU AS SOON AS WE RECEIVED THE CHARGES FOR YOU TO CHECK
THE STATUS OF YOUR PACKAGE AT OUR SHIPPING CARRIERS' ONLINE STORES. YOUR SHIPMENT SERVICE WILL BE
INDICATED IN THE LINKS TO TRACK YOUR SHIPMENT:

OUR GOAL IS TO PROCESS AND SHIP ALL ORDERS WITHIN 24-48 HOURS OF RECEIPT. ORDERS ARE PROCESSED AND
SHIPPED DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS (MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 8:00AM - 5:00PM CST, EXCLUDING
HOLIDAYS). WE FIND THAT 95% OF OUR CUSTOMERS THAT LIVE WITHIN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES RECEIVE
THEIR ORDER WITHIN THREE BUSINESS DAYS OF SHIPMENT!

ACCORDING TO YOUR MAIL WHICH STATED THAT IS GOING TO TAKE A MONTHS OR SO BEFORE YOU COULD RAISE THE
WHOLE FUND..I HEREBY DUE INFORM YOU THAT OUR SOLICITORS ETHICS DOES NOT ALLOW THAT...YOU ARE HEREBY
INFORM TO COOPERATES WITH OUR DELIVERING STATUS...WHICH I MAY APPLY TO YOU NOW...IN OTHER TO
ENVISAGE THIS MATTER TO BE SIMPLE HOW MUCH WILL YOU BE ABLE TO RAISE BETWEEN NOW AND MONDAY MORNING?
KINDLY LET US KNOW SO THAT BY MONDAY AFTERNOON WE SHALL MAKE IT UP TO YOU BY STATING UP THE
DELIVERING PROCESS...WE DO NOT ENTERTAIN ANY LONGER DELAY AS YOUR PARCEL HAS TO LEAVE OUR OFFICE
BEFORE IT WILL ENTER DUMMURAGE

USE THIS DETAILS TO SEND THE AMOUNT YOU CAN AFFORD VIA WESTERN UNION AND GET BACK TO US WITH MTCN,
SENDER NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING THE WU ATTACHMENT RECEIPT BECAUSE WE RE GOING TO ATTACH THE
PAYMENT VIA YOUR PARCEL SO THAT YOU WILL BALANCE OUR OFFICIALS AS SOON AS THEY GET TO YOUR DESTINATION.

INFORMATIONS TO SEND THE $98 FOR YOUR ACTIVATION!

RECEIVER NAME:.............MR.NALCO MARCEL.
CITY:......................COTONOU
COUNTRY:...................BENIN REPUBLIC
TEST QUESTION:..............HONEST
TEST ANSWER:..............TRUST
AMOUNT:....................98.00USD$

WESTERNUNION INTERNATIONAL MONEY TRANSFER BENIN LTD.

AFTER PAYMENT VIA WESTERN UNION AS ADVISED ABOVE, YOU ARE TO PROVIDE THE TEN {10} DIGIT MONEY
TRANSFER CONTROL NUMBERS TOGETHER WITH OTHER DETAILS AND UPON RECEIPT AND CONFIRMATION WITH OUR
COURIER COMPANY.

REGARDS
MR.FRANK JOHNSON
MR.AKOFOR SAMUEL
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION YOUR FUND.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam