419 scam: "Dr.Young B. Brown" <onyezemicheal@gmail.com> WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA EMBASSY BENIN REPUBLIC,

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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:

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:
- "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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "are expected 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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "usaembassy1@qq.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +22998332992 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr.Young B. Brown" <onyezemicheal@gmail.com>
Reply-To: usaembassy1@qq.com
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 10:34:38 -0700
Subject: WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA EMBASSY BENIN REPUBLIC,

Attn: Dear Beneficiary:

Welcome to the United States Of America Embassy Benin Republic, This
is Dr.Young B. Brown, U.S. Embassy in Benin Republic. We write to
notify you that U.S. Embassy here in Benin has inter-vain in you case
due to your total sum of $4,800,000, 00, compensation funds owning you
in Africa. We are here to represent and protect the legal interest of
every American and any others Country like UK and Asia that involved
in such business of every Foreigner and especially to the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member Country Citizens domiciled
here in Cotonou, Benin Republic.This site contains information on the
United States of America and the Republic of Benin. It provides pages
on the bilateral relationship between the two Countries,as well as on
foreign policy,economic affairs,domestic issues,and U.S.society and
values.The various sections of the Embassy work together as a team to
address the goals of the Mission.

We write to inform you of the breaking news about your compensation
fund of ($4.8 million USD) which you have been expecting sending money
for so longer, without a good result up to date, even many of them
contacted you in form of Western Union Department or Money Gram stated
your fund was with them, from the financial regulatory bodies of this
Country, from their report I gathered that your compensation fund
which was scheduled to have been remitted to your destination point by
some corrupt officials with intention of on asking you to pay endless
money.However, I went to Benin Republic International Criminal
Organization after USA Embassy Board of Directors for investigation,
and in their bid to launch a full scale investigation into the saga,
they found out that the reason why you were swindled in the past and
still not been able to receive your expected fund till date was
because you were dealing with the wrong people without involved USA
Embassy Representative, unscrupulous! elements, and impostors that
were impersonating.

Further more,USA Embassy have took the chance to an emergency meeting
with the Government of Benin Republic, and it was resolved that you
shall be receiving $4,800,000,00, we have summon the amalgamated union
governing all the official office stores in this Country and their MD
referred your fund to step aside that we will handle your payment
total sum of $4,800,000,00,by our self,so,it's better for you to
stopped communicating with any other office here in Benin Republic if
you know that you really want to receive your fund,because,if you did
is for your own risk.Though the Claim Fund Origin certificate charges
that you were supposed to pay was initially on the high price but has
been cut down to $77 by the USA Embassy in Benin Republic as part of
our corporate social responsibility to considering the poor economic
situations that make it difficult for the middle class citizens to
meet up with the Claim Fund Origin of their entitlement.

Note that the $77 is the only money that you shall pay before they
shall start program the payment details that shall enable you have
access of your $4,800,000, 00, Note that the $77 is compulsory for
you to pay as it was agreed in the meeting that you have to pay the
$77 which will serve as re-confirmation to your original
file,meanwhile you are advising to reconfirm the below information to
us to avoid mistake.

1. Your Full Name: _________
2. Your Mobile phone number________
3. Your Direct Telephone No: _________
4. Your Home Address: _________
5. Your Country_________
6. Your City: _________
7. Your ID: _________

Note that you are expected to pay only $77 for re-confirmation of your
file and you are to pay it through Western union or Money Gram here in
Benin Republic as the origination of the Fund, Send the $77 through
western union or money gram with this information below for
reconfirmation of your file that will enhance the release of your
Fund,

Receivers: ______OFOR GODWIN
Country: ________Benin Republic
City: ___________Cotonou
Zip code_________00229
Test Question: ___How Long
Answer: __________Today
Amount: _________$77
MTCN_____________
Sender's Name: ____

Once you send the fee, try to notify us with the MTCN for easy pick up
and for immediate action on the release of your $4,800,000,00, and
your subsequent payments. Note that any unclaimed funds will be return
to the Government of Benin after 7 days. So your urgently advised to
comply with our directives so that you should receive your fund
without stress again.

Dr.Young B. Brown
Director, U.S. Ambassador Benin Republic
Tel-+229-98332992
Email/ Address (usaembassy1@qq.com)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam