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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: "MR.JAMES UGO" <jamesugo11@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: western.union18@yahoo.fr
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 23:34:39 -1100
Subject: WESTERN UNION 24-HOUR ONLINE.

 WESTERN UNION
EMAIL ; western.union18@yahoo.fr
Head Office100 Central Avenue,Benin  23452, Republic.
TEL: :( +229) 98812427
I am in receipt of your mail

WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
Address: No. 5 Western Avenue Cotonou,
West Africa, Republic Du' Benin
Tel :( +229) 98812427
 
Dear: Customer,
 
Information reaching us from our corporate headquarters here in Porto - Novo, the capital state of Benin Republic, states that you only have 48hours to effect your payment for the updating of your mtcn# number to enable you cash up your first $5000 from your total fund of ( seven hundred thousand united state dollars) since you are finding it difficult to make this payment we have decided that you are to go ahead and pay whatever you have out of the total fee of $500 required for the updating fee since you are not able to come up with the required charge. But mind you, no amount below $92 will be accepted so we expect you to pay whatever amount from $92 and above. You are to pay what ever you have for the updating fee and we will activate your mtcn# number upon receipt of this payment.
 
Be informed that you will have to pay the balance fee of your updating upon cashing up of your first $5000 also I am using this medium to inform you that failure to pay the balance charge will leave us with no option but to deactivate your mtcn # number of which you will and can never cash up the balance fee, I want you to send the updating and activation fee with the information bellow.
 
Receiver’s Name--------   ANTHONY IKWUNNE
Country---------------------------Benin Republic.
City---------------------------------Cotonou.
Test Question------------------Who?
Answer----------------------------God.
Amount............................$92usd
 
Please any amounts you send let us know but remember what so ever amount below $92 will not be accepted. You can send us the payment information’s immediately you send the money. Immediately we confirm the activation fee we will send you the first receipt of your $5000 at the same day. Regards Mr. GOODLUCK ANDERSON from western union money transfer office Porto-Novo Benin Republic.

>Be notified that your Funds was forwarded to our office for onward Transfer to you. For this purpose and to be certain that you are the designated winner, you are to furnish us with the following details:
 
1. Receiver's Full Name:
2. Receiver's Address:
3. Receiver's Country:
4. Receiver's Telephone Number:
5. Receiver's Occupation:
 
In addition to this, we have decided to compensate our entire client due to their inability to pay the requested fee from the authorities, the compensation started this morning been 20th of July  and it will end on 7th October  2013 by reducing the high cost to low amount.
 
As the matter of fact, the transferring fee and all cost requested from the authorities has been cut down to any amount as you can afford and that is only money you have to pay to receive your payment because the transferring of your funds were approved and signed as well and we do contacted you today for your immediate attention over it. Note that anything that has the beginning is also has the end in that case, first come first serve Western Union Money Transfer Service Office.
 
You are entitle to receive your payment today if you do send the money today as well
We are waiting to hear from you today with the fee to enable this department to release your payment immediately.
Look forward for your anticipated response.

Best Regards;
Mr.Jackson Stover
Call us with this Number +22998812427
Transaction Director
WESTERN UNION 24-HOUR ONLINE.
 

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