419 scam: "SIR. INNOCENT JOHNSON " <mgram970@gmail.com> Attention: E-mail Address Owner, DEAR SCAM VICTIM.

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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:
- "required 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. )
- "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. )
- "you are required to pay " (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. )
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "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.
- +22998333967 (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.
- westernunionoffice507@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- street co/b/rep, republic of benin.* *email: *westernunionoffice507@yahoo.fr *( +229 98333967)* attention: e-mail address owner, *dear (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "SIR. INNOCENT JOHNSON " <mgram970@gmail.com>
Reply-To: westernunionoffice507@yahoo.fr
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 01:14:10 -0700
Subject: Attention: E-mail Address Owner, DEAR SCAM VICTIM.

*Website: www.westernunion.com <http://www.westernunion.com> Address: Plot
1261, Adela Hopewell Street CO/B/REP, Republic Of Benin.*

*Email: *westernunionoffice507@yahoo.fr

*( +229 98333967)*

Attention: E-mail Address Owner, *DEAR SCAM VICTIM.*

Sequel to the meeting held today with Federal Bureau of Investigation, The
International Monetary Fund (IMF) is compensating all the scam victims and
your name and email address was found in the scam victims list. This
Western UnionÂ® office has been mandated by the IMF to transfer your
compensation to you via Western UnionÂ® Money Transfer.

However, we have concluded to effect your own payment through Western
UnionÂ® Money Transfer, $20,000 daily until the total sum of $500,000.00 is
completely transferred to you.

This is your first payment information:
MTCN#: 2411392225

Sender's First Name: Samuel

Sender's Last Name: Chukwuma

Text Question: Code? Answer: ??
Amount Programmed: $20.000

Track your first payment on-line now using senderâ€™s first name and last
name as directed below:
https://wumt.western-union.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=global.

You are required to pay for Federal Bureau of Investigation Clean Bill of
Transfer Document fee of $68 before you pick up your first payment sent to
you. Hurry up send the required fee immediately via western union and
forward the payment slip to us and get back to western union to pick up
your first transfer $20,000 given to you.

This is information to send the fee $68:

Receivers name:. . Peter Ekwenye
Country:. .BENIN REPUBLIC
City:. . Cotonou
Text question:. . A
Text ans:. . B
Amount . .$68
Mtcn. .?

Contact person: . . SIR. INNOCENT JOHNSON
Email address: . . ( westernunionoffice507@yahoo.fr
<westernunionoffice966@yahoo.fr>
)
Tell phone: . . . +229 98333967

Note that your payment files will be returned to the IMF within 72 hours if
we did not hear from you, this was the instruction given to us by the IMF.

Thanks,
SIR.INNOCENT JOHNSON
Director Western UnionÂ® Money Transfer,
Head Office Benin Republic.
CONFIDENTIAL NOTICE
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- -
This email is intended for the owner of this E-mail Address only and
contains privileged and confidential information. If you received this
email by error, please delete it from your mail box and notify us
immediately for correction. The disclosure of this email to a third party
is highly prohibited. Thanks for your understanding
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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam