419 scam: Mercy Benson <mbenson@cantv.net> From: Mercy & Peter Benson

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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:
- "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "abidjan" (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.

Fraud email example:

From: Mercy Benson <mbenson@cantv.net>
Reply-To: mbenson1@cantv.net
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2010 21:24:05 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: From: Mercy & Peter Benson

From: Mercy & Peter Benson
Avenue 35 Rue 20 Treichville,
Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire.
(Old Ivory Cost)

Dearest One,

Compliments of the day.I am Mercy Benson a complete citizen of Sierra Leone resident in Cote D'ivoire.

I am the daughter of Late Eng.FERICOH.BENSON,I have some money in the bank $12.5m deposited by my late father in a local Bank Here in Cote D'ivoire Befor is Death, which I will want you to handle for me and my littel brother Peter and Invest it for Us In a Lucrative Bussiness of your choice as we did not have any ldear of Business and after the Transferre to your account you will then send us some money to get our VISA and pass sport to come over to your country to continue our education.

And also in Return of your mail to our proposal we will now tell you on what to do so that the Bank can release the fund to you, and also send you the Deposite slip that Our late father Use in Depositing this fund, For your Save keeping in case the Bank ask you for that as a prove,So Get back to Us lmmediatly for more Information on what to do Next. if you are intreasted to help Us.

Thanks and God bless you and your Family.

>From Mercy & Peter Benson.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam