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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "REV. TONY JOHNSON" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <africaunitedbankbenin@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:45:18 +0100
Subject: ATTN DEAR BENEFICIARY,

UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA BENIN
AGBOKOU STREET, COTONOU
P.M.B. 0127, AGBOKOU, COTONOU

ATTN DEAR BENEFICIARY,

I AM TONY JOHNSON, DIRECTOR CASH PROCESSING UNIT,UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA [UBA] THE ONLY BANK APPOINTED BY THE O.A.U MEMBERS LED BY PRESIDENT JOHN KUFFOR.

BECAUSE OF THE FRAUD GOING ON IN WEST AFRICA COUNTRIES WHERE SOME INNOCENT BENEFICIARIES WERE ASK TO PAY IN ADVANCE BEFORE RECEIVE THE MONEY OWED TO THEM. THE ABOVE AFRICA UNION HELD MEETING IN BENIN REPUBLIC AND RESOLVE TO PAY ALL BENEFICIARIES IN CASH THROUGH MEANS OF DIPLOMATIC COURIER SERVICE.WE RECEIVE YOUR FILES FROM INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND(I.M.F) AS ONE OF THE BENEFICIARIES.

TAKE NOTE; TEN THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS (US$10,000) HAVE BEEN MAPPED OUT FOR ALL EXPENSES IN SENDING THE MONEY TO YOU THROUGH GENUINE DIPLOMATIC COURIER SERVICE AND HOW IT WAS SPENT WILL BE DETAILS TO YOU. THEREFORE, I WANT YOU TO BEAR IT IN MIND THAT YOUR TOTAL FUND WILL BE NO MORE THREE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS ($3,500,000.00) BUT THREE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED AND NINETY THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS ($3,490,000.00)IF ANY BODY TELLS YOU THAT HE IS PAYING YOU IN BANK DRAFT OR TELE-GRAPHIC MONEY TRANSFER BOTH WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM, DO NOT LISTEN TO HIM OR HER BECAUSE DUE TO THIS FRAUD NO INTERNATIONAL BANK HON OURS OUR REMITTANCE INSTRUCTION ANY MORE. THAT IS WHY WE SETTLED TO PAY IN CASH THROUGH COURIER
.
WE ALSO RECEIVED A SECURITY REPORT THAT YOU PAID THE FRAUDSTERS WHO HAVE BEEN DECEIVING YOU, TELLING YOU THAT THEY ARE GOING TO SEND THIS MONEY TO YOU.DEAR,AS A SENIOR BANKER, CONTROLLING THIS CASH PAYMENT NOW, I ADVISE YOU NOT TO WASTE YOUR MONEY BY PAYING ANY BODY IN ADVANCE AGAIN, AND IF YOU JUST FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTION, YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR MONEY IN THREE DAYS TIME.YOUR FUND WILL NOW PACKAGE IN BOX AND TAKE TO THE DIPLOMATIC COURIER SERVICE FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT, I WILL ALSO SEND THE PICTURE OF THE BOX BY ATTACHMENT TO YOU TO SEE HOW THE MONEY IS PACKED, I WILL SEND YOU MORE MAILS TO GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION WITH MY INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT FOR YOU TO KNOW THE GENUINE OF THIS TRANSACTION.

THEREFORE, DO FORWARD YOUR HOME ADDRESS AND DIRECT PHONE NUMBER TO ME FOR QUICK DELIVERY BECAUSE TIME IS NOT IN OUR SIDE.ALL THE DOCUMENTS WILL BE SENT TO YOU IF I AM ASSURED THAT YOU HAVE STOPPED SENDING MONEY TO THOSE FRAUDSTERS . BUT GOD WILL SURELY JUDGE ALL OF THEM WHO LIVES BY CHEATING. MY BIBLE SAYS WHAT DOES IT PROFIT A MAN IF YOU GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD BUT LOOSE YOUR SOUL, WHICH IS NOTHING.

I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU WITH THE REQUIRED INFORMATION OF YOURS.

REV TONY JOHNSON
DIRECTOR CASH PROCESSING UNIT
UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA
Email:::::: (africaunitedbankbenin@yahoo.com)
Phone::::::( +229) 9908 6917 )

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