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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Godwin Peter" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <union2599@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2017 09:22:10 -0800
Subject: Dear Our Western Union Customer Attention Please


Dear Our Western Union Customer Attention Please
Breaking News,
This is to inform you that the higher authorities that is in-charge of international transaction has this morning declared that you will receive your USD$1.500.000.00 ( One Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) through Western Union Money Transfer Government office Only as compensation for your past effort here in Benin Republic. So the arrangement has been made this morning and the Federal High Court Of Justice has signed
your Western Union Transfer Papers and the only money you will pay is USD$89 for renewal of your Tax Clearance Certificate means your transfer will start immediately.
Note that the daily transfer of your fund is USD$4,000 twice per day until your total $1.500.000.00Usd(One Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) is completely transferred to you from this Western Union Government Office, be rest assured and guarantee that your first payment of the USD$4,000 will be release for the immediately pick up by you today in any office western union location around under 1hour and 30minutes once we confirm the sum of $89USD from you which is to enable us have your Tax Clearance Certificate that was expired renewed from the office of international monetary Fund (I.M.F) as it was approved and programmed by the Federal Ministry of Finance COTONOU-Benin Republic that you should pay only $89USD for the renewal of your Tax
Clearance Certificate.
Finally; you are hereby advice to try as much as you can to raise this fee of $89 USD and have it send immediately with the Information stated below.

RECEIVER'S NAME: SMITH OBY
COUNTRY: BENIN REPUBLIC
STATE: COTONOU
TEXT QUESTION: URGENT
TEXT ANSWER: TODAY
AMOUNT NEEDED: $89 ONLY
MTCN NUMBER
SENDER'S NAME

Your urgent response is await along with the payment details of this required $89 USD to enable us complete with this transaction as it was approved and programmed for the immediately release of your first payment $4,000 USD under 1hour and 30 miuntes that the required fee has been confirmed by the (I.M.F) finally you are advise to stop emailing any office or department here in Benin Republic until you receive your full compensation from us, this is for security reason.

We are looking forward to hear from you with the payment information.

Thanks and remain bless
Yours in service
MR. GODWIN PETER
Cell PHONE +229-9831-8589)
Email:officialsfile@qualityservice.com)

Anti-fraud resources: