419 scam: "ECOBANK NIGERIA PLC" <ecobnk@info.com> (no subject)

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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:
- "million 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)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "abuja" (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.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2347030222506
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.
- ecobank_transferunit_payment@yahoo.com.hk (Yahoo, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "ECOBANK NIGERIA PLC" <ecobnk@info.com>
Reply-To: ecobank_scamvictem_unit@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 08:28:02 +0530 (IST)
Subject:

ECOBANK NIGERIA PLC
SCAM COMPENSATION OFFICE DEPARTMENT
ECOWAS NATIONS STATE/UNITED NATIONS
2010 SCAM VICTIMS COMPENSATIONS PAYMENTS.

YOUR REF/PAYMENTS CODE: ECB/06654 FOR $500,000 USD ONLY.

This is to bring to your notice that our bank (ECOBANK INTL. PLC) is
delegated by the ECOWAS/UNITED NATIONS in Central Bank to pay victims of
scam $500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Dollars Only). You are
listed/approved for this payment as one of the scammed victims to be paid
this amount.
On this faithful recommendations, want you to alert you that during the
last U.N. meetings held at ABUJA (WEST AFRICA), it was accessed/
accumulated of reported cases of fraud that the money lost by various
individuals to Africans scam artists operating in syndicates all over the
world today is over $239 Million United States Dollars in year 2008, 2009
to fraud in USA alone.

http://www.techspot.com/news/29644-US-Citizens-lost-239-million-from-Internet-fraud-in-2007.html

In other to compensate victims, the ECOWAS/UNITED NATIONS is now paying
victims of such scam $500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Dollars Only Each ).
in accordance with the UNITED NATIONS recommendations.
The payments are to be remitted by ECOBANK PLC NIGERIA as corresponding
paying bank under funding assistance by CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA.
Benefactor of this compensation award will have to be first cleared by
ECOBANK and confirmed as a victim from Africa Scam before scam payment can
be effected. We shall feed you with further modalities as soon as we get
response from you on how you can receive your compensation payment award.

You are to send the following informations to your remittance officer for
further verifications.

Your Name.______________________
Address.________________________
Phone ._________________________
Amount Defrauded._______________
Country.________________________

Send a copy of your response via email or call your remittance officer
quoting your PAYMENT CODE NUMBER(ECB/06654).

NAME:
SCAMMED VICTIM/REF/PAYMENTS CODE: ECB/06654
ECB/06654 $500,000 USD.
TEL :+2347030222506
Email:ecobank_transferunit_payment@yahoo.com.hk

Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. FELICIA DUKE
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam