419 scam: "Rev Frank Eze" <eze.revfrank77@yahoo.com.ph> ( CONGRATULATIONS)

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- eze.revfrank@yahoo.com.ph (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Rev Frank Eze" <eze.revfrank77@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: eze.revfrank@yahoo.com.ph
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2004 23:46:47 +0800 (HKT)
Subject: ( CONGRATULATIONS)

( CONGRATULATIONS)

Dear Friend,

Complement of the season to you and your family, I am Rev Frank Eze
The Special Advice to the President Federal Republic of Nigeria on
Foreign Affairs , I am contacting you in line with President
Dr.Good-Luck Jonathan quest to re-brand Nigeria, the president of the
federal republic of Nigeria has mandated the Office of The Special
Advice to the President Federal Republic of Nigeria on Foreign Affairs
to compensate all foreigners who lost their money in the process to
claim their fund with the central bank
of Nigeria or any other Organization in the past years.

So after going through the files of the foreigners who lost their
money on my desk I discover that you have lost a lot of money and have
not received any money from the central bank of Nigeria neither the
federal government of Nigeria so I decide that it is very important to
compensate you. Note that this have decided to pay you
through our ATM payment system so that you will have any difficulties
is transferring your fund out of Nigeria like you did in the past and
we have make arrangement with a bank in Nigeria to issued and deliver
the ATM Card to you and the sum of one Million Five Hundred Thousand
United State dollars is to be issue on your name.

Finally, I wish to inform you that the ATM card can be use in any ATM
machine all over the world so kindly send me your current home or
office address and direct phone number to enable the bank deliver the
ATM card to you, also send me a copy of your passport or identity so
that I will be sure that I am dealing with the rightful person. Kindly
forward the above information to my official email:
eze.revfrank@yahoo.com.ph

Expecting your urgent response.

Yours faithfully,

Rev Frank Eze

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam