419 scam: Sopan Mate <sopan.mate@tespl.com> From Eco Bank Western Union departments

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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:
- "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. )
- "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)
- "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.
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: Sopan Mate <sopan.mate@tespl.com>
Reply-To: cowestern@barid.com
Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 20:28:27 +0200
Subject: From Eco Bank Western Union departments

--
>From Eco Bank Western Union departments.
The Republic of Benin, West Africa

We confirmed the data that you have sent to this office. However, we
will send your fund payment through Western Union Money Transfer
$15,000.00 each day at $ 5,000 per transaction up to a total of
$1,700,000.00 is completely transferred to you.

But before we engage in transactions necessary to have a legal deed of
conveyance (LTC) from the Central Bank of Benin, to cover the
transaction from any breach of the law, like in your country.

Finally, the cost for issuing the certificate to your benefit is $197.
however you are advised to transfer $197 ECOWAS Supreme Court today to
issue the certificate. transfer $197 now, if you are willing to pay
the fee let me give you our receiver detail.

We guarantee that once you send the $197 today, we will get a
certificate and tomorrow 9 am your local time, we will begin the
transfer of your money, and you will begin to collect $5,000 each in
any western union in your country.

Your service in
Sopan Mate
Western Union Manager

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam