419 scam: "Dr. Phillip W. Hills" <tbs75065@gmail.com> TRANSACTION NOTICE? THIS MESSAGE IS ONLY FOR THE OWNER OF THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS

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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.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "activation fee" (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. )
- "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. )
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +229 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- westernunion40@kimo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Phillip W. Hills" <tbs75065@gmail.com>
Reply-To: westernunion40@kimo.com
Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2012 23:26:25 +0800 (CST)
Subject: TRANSACTION NOTICE? THIS MESSAGE IS ONLY FOR THE OWNER OF THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS

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OL {
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WESTERN UNION
MONEY TRANSFERWORLDWIDE:

OFFICE OF THE
WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU
FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER ADDRESS NO.72 AGATA
ROAD,COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC WESTERN UNION HEAD OFFICE DEPARTMENT REPUBLIC OF
BENIN. FOREIGN CONTRACTOR PAYMENT OFFICE

TELEPHONE : +229 6803 6777
EMAIL:westernunion40@kimo.com
WEB WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM

Attn: Honourable Beneficiary.

Following the Recent Mandate by the
United Nation, and Ministry of Finance on 2012 first quarter Foreign debts and
Payments (contract and inheritance funds),

We the Western Union has finally received a final approval and pay-out
order from these two bodies over your debt with a payment approval notice
RE:WUMT007/22XXY36/012 on your behalf.

Meanwhile, your representatives have
submitted your bank details to us
where this fund is to be transferred into. are you aware or know anything about
this?

We are unable to complete a transfer directed at an email address,
because after the fund has been brought to our office to remit. somebody from
your country by name Mr. Jeffrey Williams contacted us and said you are on sick
bed and you ordered him to contact us to remit the $7.500.000.00 using his
information to pick up your fund
presently under our custody for transfer on
your behalf,

The Official responsible for the presentation of your money valued
$7.500.000.00 Winning quickly granted approvals to their application now waiting
for final endorsement from Board of Trustees.

When our Bank Debit Note
was submitted to my desk for final Approvals before forwarding it to Board for
endorsement, I noticed that there are discrepancies
as there was no evidence
of authorization letter from you for Mr.J. Williams to receive the fund on your
behalf.

I urgently summoned The Official responsible
for the presentation of the
winning and directed him to stop the movement of the funds and at the same time
placed a stop order instruction on the funds pending
when your views and
comments are received with regards to this matter.

I hereby urged you to
email me urgently for your comments which will be highly appreciated if you are
still alive or not on sick bed with activation fee $75.00
of your file payment before your first payment $5,000 will be release to
you,

Because stop order was placed on the payment. Note we will not hesitate to
continue the payment transfer activation with the name of the man on claim if no
response come from you. Contact me on this

Name: Dr. Phillip Williams Hills
E-mail address (westernunion40@kimo.com)
Phone number:+229 6803 6777

As your silence will be a clear indication that you authorized her to
effect the above changes. Also fill the information below to help us facilitate
your transfer via Western Union cash
office

1) Your Full Name:
2) Country and Mobile:
3) Home/ Office
Address:
4) Profession and Age:
5) ID/Sex and Home address:

Am waiting for your urgent response

Dr. Phillip Williams
Hill
Director of Foreign Operations
Western Union Cash
Transfer

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam