419 scam: "Sir. Alfred Benjamin" <siralfredbenjamin@fredbenonline.net> Dear Trusting friend.

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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:
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- 16fredben@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Sir. Alfred Benjamin" <siralfredbenjamin@fredbenonline.net>
Reply-To: graciasfredben@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:10:07 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Dear Trusting friend.

Dear Trusting friend.
Date: 11/02/2010.

Greetings

How are you doing today, I guess fine? Please this is the second time i am sending this very important proposal to you, Although I honestly apologize and hope I do not cause you much embarrassment by contacting you through this means for a transaction of this magnitude. This message could be strange but it's real and will be a blessing for you and me.

In a brief introduction, I am Sir. Alfred Benjamin, I am the Director of Operation with Bank of Africa Benin Republic. I have a very interesting deal to discuss with you, the deal under discussion has to do with Mr Allen C. Hudson a national of your country, who was employed as a Consultant / contractor with Societe Nationale Des Products D' Agricole (SONAPRA)a cotton manufacturing company in Cotonou-Benin.

On 24th December 2005, Mr. Hudson with his wife and their only daughter was involved in a plane crash victims with Boe 727-type air plane belonging to African Transport Union (UTA). In this fatal tragedy with Beirut-bound flight, 110 persons died and Over 40 others still reported missing, while 22 passengers survived.

Consequently, Mr Allen. Hudson made a numbered time (fixed) deposited of Six Million, Two hundred and Fifty- Two Thousand USD. ($6.252M) Hence my decision is to contact you so that both of us will team-up in order to cliam the abandoned sum hence late Mr Allen Hudson is no longer alive and could no longer produce any of his relation to claim his left fund in our bank. Please if you are interested, I will be providing you with the most neccessary informations related to the dormant account and further instructions to proceed in the claiming of the abandoned funds which should be share between both us upon the successful claim of the funds.

Please if you are interested kindly reply me through my ptivat email address:( 16fredben@gmail.com ) and i will get back to you with more details to handle the deal.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best Regards,
Mr Alfred Benjamin.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam