419 scam: Veronica Jim <mr.stephenadams@rediffmail.com> usd$800,000

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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:
- "transfer cost" (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. )
- "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.
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.
- +22998797178 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Veronica Jim <mr.stephenadams@rediffmail.com>
Reply-To: firstlybankking_bj@globomail.com
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2010 09:52:09 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: usd$800,000

Attn:Beneficiary,

This is to inform you that sum of usd$800,000 is deposited on your name in first bank Cotonou Benin Republic.

According to depositor, you won the usd$800,000 as compensation funds through a business transaction which you intended to do with him few years ago but you finally did not completed the transaction due one reason or the other best known to you.

Now he is sending you total usd$800,000 to show appreciations for your little or big efforts made towards the transaction that time.The depositor also said that you supose to have received the funds from his secretary in Benin Repblic but on his arrival from India to Benin last week he discovered that you have not received the money which is the reason he deposited the funds in this bank to be wired to you free of charge .

Note that your partiner here in Benin has paid all the needful fees therefore you only have to receive your funds immediately you reply to this bank. Hope to hear from you for receiving your funds without any transfer cost of any kind .

Contact first Wema bank on direct E-mail:firstlybankking_bj@globomail.com or Phone +229-98797178

Yours,
Veronica Jim
First bank
Supervisor.
Cotonou Benin Republic

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam