419 scam: JOHN EDWARD <officefille1988@gmail.com> URGENT ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY

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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:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "required fee " (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. )
- "the consignment" (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)
- "trunk box" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "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.
- +22999651453 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- fbi_benin20@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- division j. edgar hoover building,washington.dc in usa fbi_benin20@yahoo.com urgent attention: beneficiary i am special agent john (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: JOHN EDWARD <officefille1988@gmail.com>
Reply-To: coleen_hrathwell@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2011 06:48:13 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: URGENT ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY DIVISION
J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING,WASHINGTON.DC
IN USA fbi_benin20@yahoo.com

URGENT ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY

I AM SPECIAL AGENT JOHN EDWARD FROM THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATION (FBI) INTELLIGENCE UNIT, WE HAVE JUST INTERCEPTED AND
CONFISCATED TWO (2) TRUNK BOX AT JFK AIRPORT IN NEW YORK, AND ARE ON
THE VERGE OF MOVING IT TO OUR BUREAU HEAD QUARTERS.

WE SCANNED THE SAID BOX, AND FOUND IT CONTAINS TOTAL SUM
OF $7.2 MILLION AND ALSO BACKUP DOCUMENT WHICH BEARS YOUR NAME AS THE
RECEIVER OF THE MONEY CONTAINED IN THE BOX, INVESTIGATIONS CARRIED OUT
ON THE DIPLOMAT WHICH ACCOMPANIED THE BOX INTO UNITED STATES SAID HE
WAS TO DELIVER THIS FUNDS TO YOUR RESIDENCE AS PAYMENT DUE YOU FROM THE
OFFICE OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA AS UNPAID BENEFICIARY.

WE CROSS-CHECKED ALL LEGAL DOCUMENTATION IN THE BOX, AND
WERE ABOUT TO RELEASE THE CONSIGNMENT TO THE DIPLOMAT WHEN WE FOUND OUT
THAT THE BOX WAS LACKING ONE VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENT WHICH MAKES US
CONFISCATE THE BOXS.

ACCORDING TO SECTION 229 SUBSECTION 31 OF THE 1991
CONSTITUTION THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE SO
THAT YOUR SAID BOX WILL NOT BEEN CONFISCATED BY THIS BUREAU HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES WHICH IS A PUNISHABLE OFFENSE UNDER SECTION 12 SUBSECTION
441 OF CONSTITUTION ON MONEY LAUNDERING

HOWEVER, YOU HAVE ONLY TWO WORKING DAYS TO SEND THIS
REQUIRED FEE $86USD TO OBTAIN THE OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE TO ENABLE the
AGENT OF UPS COURIER COMPANY DELIVERY YOUR SAID BOXS BECAUSE YOUR
SAID BOXS WILL BE DISPATCH TO YOUR ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY WE RECEIVED THE PAPER.

BE IT MINDAND IF WE DON?T HEAR FROM YOU WITH THE PAYMENT
INFORMATION THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION WILL CONFISCATED YOUR
BOXS AS U.S.GOVERNMENT LAW.

HOWEVER,BE ADVISED TO FURNISH YOUR INFORMATION TO THE
CHIEF GEORGE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF BENIN REPUBLIC TO ENABLE HIM
EXPEDITE SPEEDY ACTION ON THE PROCESSING OF YOUR OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE
AND YOU ARE ADVISED TO SEND HIM THIS CODE AS RIGHTFUL BENEFICIARY OF
THE SAID BOX(FBIe74678FPN) SO THAT HE CAN FOLLOW YOUR INSTRUCTIONS.AS
SOON AS YOU CANTACT HIM WITH THE REQUIRED FEE TO OBTAIN THE CERTIFICATE
ON YOUR BEHALF.

Contact him with below information;

Name:MR.MOHAMMED AZAZA.
E-mail Address;(coleen_hrathwell@yahoo.com)
Direct Telephone: +22999651453.
CHAMBER NUMBER...44722vg

Kindly look below to find appropriate information where to send the $86 to,MR.MOHAMMED AZAZA

Receiver Name:____: Obi John Tansi
Country________ Benin Republic.
City______ Cotonou
Text Question_________What is good?
Answer___ Good reputations.
Amount__$86.00

YOU?RE ALSO EXPECTED TO FOLLOW HIS ADVICE AND DIRECTIVES TO AVOID DELAY IN RELEASING YOUR (2) TRUNK BOX TO THE DIPLOMAT AGENT.

Best Regards,
JOHN EDWARD
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) ________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam