419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (YYYY-MM)

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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:
- "moneygram" (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. )
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
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.
- moneygram235@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "AMBASSADORE BERNARD DOUGLASS." <"www."@bird.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "AMBASSADORE BERNARD DOUGLASS." <moneygram235@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2017 04:41:07 +0900 (JST)
Subject: GREETINGS FROM US EMBASSY THIS MAIL IS ONLY FOR THE OWNER OF THIS
E-MAIL ADDRESS ATTENTION DEAR, Please i want to inform you that your
fund was brought to my desk this morning because the director of the money
gram here in Benin Republic said that they will divert your fund to the
government treasuries account, just because that you refused to pay for the
transfer fee of your fund which is $160. But i told them to wait until,i
hear from you today so that i will know the reason why you reject and

GREETINGS FROM US EMBASSY

THIS MAIL IS ONLY FOR THE OWNER OF THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS

ATTENTION DEAR,

Please i want to inform you that your fund was brought to my desk this morning
because the director of the money gram here in Benin Republic said that they
will divert your fund to the government treasuries account, just because that
you refused to pay for the transfer fee of your fund which is $160.

But i told them to wait until,i hear from you today so that i will know the
reason why you reject and abandone such amount of money $3.5 millions which
will change your life just because of $160.

I want your urgent response as soon as you receive this email and tell me the
reason why you have abandon your fund or if you are not interested in it again
then i can change your name to another person name,so that the government will
not claim this funds

Please you get back to me with this contact information and i will tell you
where and whom to send the $160 if you are really interested in receiving your
fund.

send me your full contact information as required below

Your Full name
Your country and city
Your home address
Your private phone number
Your age
sex
occupation
scanned copy of ID card:

Contact me through this email address
(moneygram235@gmail.com)

I await your urgent response

AMBASSADORE BERNARD DOUGLASS.
United States Ambassador to the Republic of Benin.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam