419 scam: "MR. RITA BEEBE" <ministry.10001@gmail.com> iam very Happy to hear from you now,

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "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.
- +229 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. RITA BEEBE" <ministry.10001@gmail.com>
Reply-To: www_western.customer@yahoo.com.tr
Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2013 17:14:36 +0100
Subject: iam very Happy to hear from you now,

Attention: this is to informed you that iam very Happy to hear from
you now, this instruction is from High Court Of Ecowas Benin Republic
here to all the people which is not receive they Own funds for long
time Ago, your funds is with us here waiting for this your payment
information which is $109, once you send this money you will confirm
your funds,sending here is to you have your clearance Certificate, so
therefore as soon as you receive this mail trying to see that you send
the money because this money is the only money you will spend in this
transfer of your funds,for your information you will stoping further
communication with any other person for avoid you looseing this your
funds,

your full contact information requested, we will forward everything
to the Benin presidency office to issue out your funds certificate as
the rightful beneficiary.Get back in regarding of the fund to be made
avaliable to you in any way you wish and also any beneficiary are
required to come down : But if he/she is unable or refuse to come down
he/she required to pay sum of $109 for the None-Residence Minister
Imprinter who will stand/sign on his/her behalf.With sum $109, the
Minister Imprinter sign out your fund certificate as the rightful
beneficiary ,so as to avoid any scam and the fee is just $109 . So if
you are not coming down here bear it in mind that you will pay sum of
$109 Or if you have somebody whom you trusted you may send him /her to
come and get your $16.500,000.00 on your behalf and try to inform
him/her to come to this office to sign or you pay $109 because is
mandated according to the instruction. Do not delay because there is
no time to be wasting any more since your case has been issued to
treat on this month.

Now we are waiting for you to make the payment through western union
or money garm, transfer with the name.

Receiver Name......... JUDE ONUORA
Country..............Benin Republic
City.................Cotonou
zip-code.............00229
Address..............No 20 Akpakpa Road Cotonou
Text Question........Today
Answer...............Yes
Amount...............$109
Sender's Name.........
MTCN..................

We are hereby assuring you that they will be arrested and you must
confirm them yourself.
THIS MESSAGE IS FROM MR. RITA BEEBE, THE SECREARY TO CHIEF JUDGE
THEODORE BOLO, PLEASE REPLY DIRECT TO MY BOSS AT

Thanks,
Chief Judge Theodore Bolo
+229 /68829656
FROM BENIN HIGH COURT.
CHAMBER NUMBER...189PC,

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam