419 scam: Melvin Benedicto <mb3329098@gmail.com> CONGRATULATION

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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:

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. )
- "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. )
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "deadline" (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.
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.
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.
- dip.davidt@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: Melvin Benedicto <mb3329098@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2022 19:06:35 -0800
Subject: CONGRATULATION

FBI Headquarters
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20535 USA

Attn: Beneficiary

After proper and several investigations by the Western Union, Money
Gram, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and United Nations (UN)
Offices we found your name amongst those that have sent money through
Western Union, Cash App, Zelle, Venmo, Bank Transfer/Deposit and Money
Gram in the course of receiving your Inheritance, Lottery, United
Nation compensation funds which proves that you have truly been
swindled by those unscrupulous persons by sending money to them
through the above mentioned means.

To this regard United Nations (UN) held a meeting with the Board of
Directors of WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
(IMF) the FBI alongside with the MINISTRY of FINANCE. As a result of
our investigations it was agreed that the sum of Six Million Five
Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (U.S. $6, 500,000.00) should be
transferred to you from the funds set aside by The United States
Department of the Treasury to compensate scam victims.

The compensation scheme is open to people who wired money to scammers
via Western Union and MoneyGram between January 1, 2004 to December
19, 2019, the deadline for lodging these claims is February 28, 2022.

This case is being handled and supervised by the FBI therefore we have
submitted your details to affect the transfer of your funds to you.
Contact the Western Union agent office through the information below:

Contact Person: DIPLOMAT DAVID THOMPSON
Address: Western Union Post Office, California
Email: dip.davidt@gmail.com

Yours sincerely,
Christopher Wray
FBI Director

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam