419 scam: Mr Paul Frank <officefile4123@gmail.com> Greetings,

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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:
- "required 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. )
- "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 us 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.

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Paul Frank <officefile4123@gmail.com>
Reply-To: westernunion00191@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2022 07:41:24 -0800
Subject: Greetings,

SEND MONEY WORLDWIDE:
OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
Financial Bank Benin Republic WESTERN UNION DEPARTMENT
Commandant Avenue du Gouverneur GÃ©nÃ©ral Ponty, Cotonou
Benin Republic Western Union OUR WEB SITE/ www.westernunion.com:

Attention

We write to acknowledge the receipt of your mail regarding your funds
transfer via our service Western Union Money Transfer Department
Cotonou, Benin Republic. Regarding the transfer, We are hereby written
to inform you that before the full information will be release for you
to pick up the $5,000 daily, Your payment file which was deposited
with our bank, must be Renewed and Reconfirm with the sum of $50.00 us
dollars to enable us programmed your name with the informationâ€™s which
you will use to pick up the $5,000 daily.

It is very important that you made the fee available to this office
for immediately Renewal and Reconfirm of your inheritance payment file
so that the full information will be release for you to enable you
pick up the $5,000 .U.S.D immediately from any western union office in
your country.

The amount of your payment which you are going to confirmed is the sum
of $5.5million US Dollars as soon as you settle the required fee for
the Renewal and Reconfirming your payment file. We assure you that
once we receive the required fee today, we shall give you the full
information which you will use to pick up the payment within next 45
Minutes to the nearest Western Union in your city as you want and
nothing will hold it any more.

Here is your first payment information below

Sender name:PAUL FRANK
Mtcn:348155082
amount:$5,000

Check your payment here
https://www.westernunion.com/us/en/web/global-service/track-transfer

Visit western union tracking online , we will activate your first payment on
your name so that you can be able to pick up your funds immediately,

NOTE: THE REASON WHY WE NEED YOU TO SEND US THE RENEWING AND
RECONFIRMING OF YOUR PAYMENT FILE IS THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DEDUCT THE
FEE OUT FROM YOUR FUNDS BUT THE MINISTER ADMINISTRATOR TRUST FUND OF
BENIN REPUBLIC TOLD US THAT NO ONE HAS ACCESS OVER YOUR FUND AS IT HAS
BEEN SIGNED AND STAMPED THAT NO MONEY SHOULD BE DEDUCTED UNTIL IT GETS
TO THE BENEFICIARY TO AVOID ANY MISUNDERSTANDING, BECAUSE IF ANY ONE
HAS ACCESS TO DO THAT IT WILL INVOLVE MANY PEOPLES LOOSING THEIR
FUNDS. THEREFORE YOU SHOULD PROCESS RIGHT NOW AND SEND THE FEE WITH
THE INFORMATION LISTENED BELOW.

SEND THE FEE THROUGH OUR WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WITH THE BELOW DETAILS.

Receiver's Name: EMMA OKE
Country , .......Benin
City, .......Cotonou
Test Question: How Long?
Answer: ............Soon
Amount: $50 (only)
Sender's Name: ............
MTCN Number: ..............
Waiting to receive the payment information to enable us proceed and
forward you the full information which you need for receiving your
funds via Western Union office in any western union area in your
country.

Yours in service
Mr.Paul Frank
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam