419 scam: ECO BANKING PLC <cunitedstate@gmail.com> Hello Dear 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:

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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "million dollars" (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)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "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 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.
- +22999035386 (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.
- plcecobank118@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: ECO BANKING PLC <cunitedstate@gmail.com>
Reply-To: plcecobank118@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 22:34:33 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Hello Dear Beneficiary,

Hello Dear Beneficiary,

Before I commence I will like to explain myself to you, my name is Rev Dr Favour Okeke the new director officer of Eco bank Benin Republic Plc West African, my dear, I want to use this opportunity to inform you that I am now the director and it have not been a month now, so I went through the scheme of work of this Honorable bank and find out that your name and your fund valued $2.5 million dollars was here for six months.

So it amaze me so much and then I went to the office of IMF office Benin and reported this to them to know what is their aim and they told me that bank former director Rev John Chukwuemeka was the one that curse all this he collect money for peoples and then refuse to wired their fund to them, so my dear the Lord I serve will not allow such to happen here in my seat, so I hereby to declare to you now to get us your full information so that your fund will be wired into your account immediately without wasting time, I do not like betraying people and no one will do such to me. And i want you to understand that you will send our transfer fee of $85 usd with this information bellow through Western union or Money Gram with this name.

Reciever's name........SAM CHIKA
Country...............Benin Republic.
City............Cotonou.
Text Question............Honest?
Answer................Trust.
Amount..........$85 usd.
Mtcn no.....
sender's name......

This is what we needed from you now so that your fund will be wired through this bank immediately, email address;(plcecobank118@yahoo.com.hk) And you can call me +22999035386.Please make sure that you send your information complete so that there will be no mistake in transferring your total fund.

Your account number========
Name of bank===========
Bank address============
Bank user name==========
Routing number==========
Home address============
Copy of id==============
Your phone number==========
Your occupation ============

Once you forward this to this bank I assure you that you are to receive your fund with 74hrs ok, if your are able to call me am free call this line +22996059839,Thanks and remain bless, my regards to your family.

Rev Dr Favour Okeke
CALL +22996059839
Eco bank director general
plcecobank118@yahoo.com.hk

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam