419 scam: CITI BANK BENIN REPUBLIC <britishhighcommissionoffice201@gmail.com> Dear esteemed customer,

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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "diplomatic immunity"
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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "diplomatic immunity" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "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: CITI BANK BENIN REPUBLIC <britishhighcommissionoffice201@gmail.com>
Reply-To: CITI BANK BENIN REPUBLIC <citibank6923@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2017 21:58:07 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Dear esteemed customer,

CITI BANK OF BENIN Corporate Office
Headquarters 12 Eze Okoli Street CotonouMonday-Friday
8 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time(EDT)
Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Eastern
Daylight Time(EDT)

Dear esteemed customer,

The Management of the CITI BANK OF BENIN Corporate Office Headquarters 12
Eze Okoli Street Cotonou wishes to inform you that after a brief meeting held by the Bank executives on Monday the 23rd Day of October,2017 at
precisely 8 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time(EDT), we deem it appropriate to intimate you
that your funds will be transferred into the United Arabia Emirate
Treasury Account with the JP Morgan Chase Headquarters at 270 Park
Avenue in New York according to the record we got from Africa due to
your inability to complete the transaction and your failure to meet up
with a minor payment obligation.The actual transfer of your
funds($15,500,000.00) into the government account comes up next week.

This is in line with the instructions of the UAE Treasurer,Mrs.Rosa
Gumataotao Rios that all unclaimed funds be paid into the United
Emirate Government Treasury Account as unserviceable funds in
compliance to section 3 subsection 1(a) of the United Emirate Financial
Law enacted in 2001 after an attack on our dear country on September
11,2001.Find below the profile of the banking institution where your
funds will be transferred into following the government directive:

Official Bankers for the United Emirate Treasury Department AC NO: 68302345093
Routing NO:021109593 Account Name:United States Treasury Department,USA

Note that if you still wish to receive your funds do get back to us
immediately so that we will remove your funds transfer from the list of
those transactions to be seized by the United Arabia Emirate
Government.Also be informed that we need only a DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY SEAL OF TRANSFER(DIST) to complete the wire transfer.The fee to obtain the
SEAL was reduced from 600 to $75 and no other fee is involved. You are
required to send the fee of $75 by WESTERN UNION or MONEY GRAM to the
issuing officer at the bank where your transaction originated as stated
below: INFORMATION

Receiver's Name.... CHI BEN

Country: BENIN REPUBLIC
City: COTONOU
Text Question ........ WHEN
Text Answer ........ NOW
Amount..................$75
Sender's Name:-------------
MTCN or REFERENCE Number

The name of the city from where the money was sent If we receive the MTCN
today,we will transfer your funds ($15,500,000.00) before we close
office and the funds will reflect 3hours after the transfer.We will send you all the transfer documents to enable you start making cash
withdrawals from your account same day the funds are transferred.We have waited for so long and we cannot continue to wait.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve your banking needs.

Yours faithfully

ARIF SANNI)

CITI BANK OF BENIN

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam