419 scam: "Mr.Uzor Okoye" <mr_jerryude020@yahoo.com> FEDERAL MINITRY OF FINANCE BENIN

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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "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.
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.
- federalministry_finance@hotmail.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Uzor Okoye" <mr_jerryude020@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: federalministry_finance@hotmail.fr
Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2011 02:09:08 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: FEDERAL MINITRY OF FINANCE BENIN

Â ATTENTION BENEFICIARY,
Â
THIS FEDERAL MINITRY OF FINANCE BENIN IS HERE TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOURÂ FUND WORTH OF (2.500.000.00 USD) WHICH WAS DIVERTED TO BENIN GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES DO TO YOUR INABILITY TO AFFORD THE CHARGES OF THIS BANK AND COMPANY, TODAY OUR PRESIDENT YAYI BONI HAS GIVEN US AN ORTHER TO RELEASE ALL THE FUNDS AND PACKAGES TO THE OWNERS. THIS FEDERAL MINITRY OF FINANCE BENIN REPUBLIC IS HEREBY, TODAY OFFICIALLY MANDATED TO INFORM YOU OF YOUR FUND WORTH OF (2.500.000.00 USD ).THIS PARTICULAR FUND WAS DIVERTED IN THIS BENIN REPUBLIC OF WEST AFRICA.
Â
THE FUND IN QUESTION WAS DIVERTED BY BANK AND COMPANY LOCATED IN THIS COUNTRY REPUBLIC OF BENIN. ACCORDING TO THEM THEY SAID THAT THE FUND HAS OFFICIALY OVERSTAYED THE STIPULATED PERIOD OF TIME,IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS AND PROCEDURES OF THEIR SERVICE ACTS AND ETHICS OF 2001 PROVIDED BY THE REGULATORY BODY IN THE COUNTRY AND PASSED INTO LAW BY THE ATTORNRY GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION.
Â
THE PRESIDENT GENERAL COMENTED THAT ALL THE FUND HAS TO BE CONVERTED INTO ATM MASTER CARD SO THAT IT WILL BE EASY TO DELIVER IT THROUGH DIPLOMATIC MEANâ€™S TO AVOID ANY PROBLEM AGAIN AND THE ATM CARD RELEASE ORTHER DOCUMENT CHARGES HAS BEEN PLACED AT THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF $38 USD SO THAT EACH BENEFICIARY CAN AFFORD TO PAY THE FEE WITHOUT ANY COMPLAIN AGAIN.
Â
THE PRESIDENT GENERAL ALSO REPORTED THAT HENCE THE BENEFICIARY COULD NOT COMPLY WITH THE SUBSQUENT CHARGES OF ATM RELEASE ORTHER DOCUMENT WHICH WILL PROVE THAT HIS/HER FUND HAS BEEN RELEASED THE PAYMENT THROUGH ATM CARD WILL BE CANCELD,THAT IS WHY HE FIXED THE CHARGES OF ATM RELEASE ORTHER DOCUMENT AT THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF $38USD SO THAT EACH BENEFICIARY WILL GET HOLD OF HIS/HER DIVERTED FUND THROUGH ATM MASTER CARD AND THE DELIVERY COMPANY WILL BE FORCED TO DELIVER YOUR ATM CASH CARD WITHOUT DELAY.
Â
THE INFORMATIONS OF THE BENEFICIARY IS HIGHLY NEEDED FOR COMFIRMATORY PURPOSES AND THE DELIVERING COMPANY HAS TO VERIFY IF THE INFORMATIONS DETAILES IS CORRECT BEFORE THE ATM CARD SHALL BE DELIVERED INTO THE BENEFICIARY ADDRESS. THE INFORMATONS ARE AS FOLLOW.
Â
BENEFICIARIES NAME....................
AGE/SEX..................
TELEPHONE NUMBER...............
FAX NUMBER...................
A COPY OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT/DRIVER LICENCE....................
HOME ADDRESS......................
OCCUPATION:......................
Â
YOUR ARE REQUIRED TO SEND THE $38USD AND FORDWARD YOUR INFORMATIONS THROUGH THIS EMAIL,( federalministry_finance@hotmail.fr)
SEND THE MONEY THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WITH THE INFORMATION BELOW,
Â
RECEIVERâ€™S NAME== UZOR OKOYE
COUNTRY== BENIN REPUBLIC.
CITY== COTONOU .
TEXT QUESTION== ZIPE CODE
ANSWER== 00229.
AMOUNT=$38.00USD
MTCN=====?
Â
SO THAT WE CAN PERSONALLY GO AND SUBMIT YOUR DELIVERY INFORMATION TO THE COMPANY.
THANKS,
BEST REGUARDS.
MR UZOR OKOYE .
CALL HAR FOR MORE DELLS
Â
WE REMAIN THE FEDERAL MINITRY OF FINANCE BENIN REPUBLIC , YOURâ€™S IN SERVICE, WE FIGHT AGAINST CURROPTION AND CRIMES FOR HUMANITIES.PROF. K.C IGWE. SENIOR ADVOCATE. COTONUO , BENIN REPUBLIC.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam