419 scam: "Mrs. Angela John" <simone.vianello@alice.it> Central Bank of the Benin (CBB)

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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:
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- officeservice765@yahoo.dk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Angela John" <simone.vianello@alice.it>
Reply-To: officeservice765@yahoo.dk
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2013 15:38:37 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Central Bank of the Benin (CBB)

Central Bank of the Benin (CBB)
Office Location: 1-2 Ecowas Avenue
Banjul,Benin.

Dear Client,

The West Africa Monetary Agency re-called your ($5billion) five billion U.S
dollars from Credit Suisse Zurich, Switzerland due to lark of fund
documentation. Now that the fund have been documented, the central bank
governor have agreed with West Africa Monetary Agency WAMA`s director of
operation to release your $5billion US Dollars.

The Central bank has to issue you a check, but the check has to be cleared
in
one local bank here in Benin. And since you are not here in the Benin you
are
required to open a non resident bank account here in Benin under (Bank of
Africa) and make sure the account is activated. Soon as the bank account is
opened on your name, activate the account and send your account detail to
Central bank for your check to be issued and sent to the BOA. Ones the
check is
cleared, your amount will be credited into your bank account which will
enable
you make withdrawals from your location.

The Central bank and WAMA have appointed barrister Jimmy Anderson ESQ to
assist
you. His E-mail: (officeservice765@yahoo.dk therefore contact him
immediately.

Sincerely yours,
Mrs. Angela John
Public relation officer.
Central Bank of the Benin.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam