419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:
- "insurance 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. )
- "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. )
- "million dollars" (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.
- +22968810586 (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.
- unitedbankafrica29@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. DONY WILLIAMS" <pilo_andre@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: "MR. DONY WILLIAMS" <unitedbankafrica29@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2015 15:21:55 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: YOUR ATM VISA CARD SECRET PIN IS (1510): WE HOPE IT IS SHIPPED
TODAY?

Â
Greetings Dear Esteem Customer,

This is to let you know that we have received an instruction from the United Nation by orders of the Ministry of Finance, Republic of Benin to release your Approved payment of US$4.5Million Dollars via UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD which you will use to withdraw your US$4.5Million Dollars from any ATM Machine in any part of the world.

I must thank you and assure you that UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD number (457793246316 0548) has been approved and upgraded in your favor this morning. The amount upgraded in the ATM CARD is US$4.5Million Dollars, (FOUR MILLION FIVE THOUSAND USD) and your secret pin number is (1510). Right now, Invitation has been extended to you to visit UBA BANK Benin Republic for collection of your UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD and PIN NUMBER so that you can activate it by yourself and start withdrawing funds from any ATM Machine in your country but the amount you can withdraw in a day is $15,000 USD, per day as we have programmed it.

Alternatively, if you are unable to visit UBA BANK Republic of Benin for the collection of this your UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD and PIN NUMBER, you must therefore apply for the UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD and PIN NUMBER to be sent to you via THE USA POSTAL SERVICE at your own expenses by offsetting the following payments such as; (1) Shipment fee of the UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD to your address amounting to US$50 (2) Insurance Coverage of the UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD amounting to USUS$300 which is a total $350 only.

Both payments is the sum of US$350 only must be paid to enable us ship the UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD to your address to enable you start withdrawing your US$4.5Million Dollars from any ATM machine in any part of the world. This UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD must be insured so that it can get to you without any problem and diversion. This is because this ATM CARD can be use to withdraw funds from any ATM Machine in every part of the world.

Secondly, the officer in charge is:

GENERAL MANAGER: MR.DONY WILLIAMS
E-MAIL:(unitedbankafrica29@gmail.com)
PHONE NUMBER: +229-688-10586

Make sure you do forward to them your full information such as.

(1) Your full name. (2) MAILING ADDRESS where you want them to send Your ATM VISA CARD through THE USA POSTAL SERVICE (P.O Box NOT accepted). (3) Total amount you are expecting ($4.5Million). (4) Your direct telephone numbers. (5) A copy of your international passport OR ID CARD NUMBER.
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Please indicate to the card centre the total sum you are expecting ($4.5Million) and for your information, you have to stop any further communication with any institution or office until you receive the ATM card.
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Note: Due to impostors, we hereby issue you, your pin code of conduct tag number, which is (1510) so you must have to indicate this code when contacting the card centre.

So, if you cannot come to UBA BANK of Republic of Benin for collection of your UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD, you must therefore kindly go right now to WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER and send this shipment and insurance fee of US$350 only with the details below. Write your MTCN number down and The sender name below down the details.

Receiver's Name: ---Paul Amechi
Country: -----------Benin Republic
City: --------------Cotonou
Text Question: -----Trust
Text Answer: ------God
Amount: ---$350 ONLY
MTCN: ----
Sender Name: ----
Sender Address: ----

As soon as the fee is received, we shall immediately dispatch the UBA BANK ATM VISA CARD to you and it will take only 2 days today to arrive to your address to enable you start withdrawing funds from any ATM machine nearest to you.

Thanks for your understanding and we are waiting for your quick reply with the payment information to commence the delivery today.

This massage is coming from
Foreign Contract Payments
Republic Of Benin.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam