419 scam: "MR.JERRY MARK" <internationaldebtfunds12@gmail.com> ATTENTION DEAR

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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "await 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.
- +2299921 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR.JERRY MARK" <internationaldebtfunds12@gmail.com>
Reply-To: "MR.JERRY MARK" <westernunion6035@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2015 18:54:03 +0900 (JST)
Subject: ATTENTION DEAR

Be informed that the sum of Five thousand dollars $5000.00USD has already been sent to you via our Western Union Money Transfer office as we have been given the mandate instruction to transfer your full overdue payment, a total sum of $2.5MillionUSD, via the western union by the Ministry of Finance.

I tried contacting you to give you the necessary information to enable you pick up your funds but I couldn't get through yesterday, so I decided to email you the MTCN and sender's name so that you can pick up the $5000.00 to enable us send another $5000.00 by tomorrow. As you know already that we will be sending you $5000.00 only per day. And it was agreed that you are to pay the transfer clearance certificate

charges' a total sum of $75.00 before you can be able to pick up your first payment at any agent location, do take note of this, that you are to pay the $75.00 before picking up your first payment today' Go to any western union office in your location to pick up the $5000.00 which is currently active and do try to call me with this number (+229 9921_8201) as soon as you get this mail as the only Operation Manager in charge of your payment, and we will send you another payment tomorrow once you confirm your first payment today You can track your first payment online through our Website to confirm the availability and try to follow up
our instructions to enable us meet up within the time frame in accordance

(BELOW IS THE INFORMATION TO PICK UP YOUR FIRST PAYMENT OF $5'000 TODAY)

SENDER'S FIRST NAME: JOACHIM.
SENDER'S LAST NAME: TRABANDT
TEST QUESTION:....TRANSFER?
TEST ANSWER:......NOTIFICATION.
AMOUNT SENT TODAY ..........$5,000 USD
MTCN..... (719180_3020) (AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP BY RECEIVER)

(BELOW IS THE INFORMATION TO SEND THE NEEDED FEE OF $75)

RECEIVER:NAME...... LUKU OBIM
COUNTRY: BENIN REPUBLIC
ZIP CODE:+229
CITY: COTONOU
QUESTION:.................Trust ?
ANSWER:................Honest
AMOUNT to send;..............$75
SENDER'S:Name............
MTCN:number.................

We await your urgent response soon with the payment information while we look forward to serve you with the best our service

Regards

MR.JERRY MARK
Tel ((+229 9921_8201)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam