419 scam: United Bank For Africa <uba.enquiries@zbavitu.net> Reply Immediately

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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:
- "demurrage " (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. )
- "security keeping 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. )
- "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)
- "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- "express-post-courier@zbavitu.net" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +22966299997 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: United Bank For Africa <uba.enquiries@zbavitu.net>
Reply-To: uba_enquiries@zbavitu.net
Date: Thu, 07 Nov 2013 11:40:02 +0100
Subject: Reply Immediately

UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC (UBA).
Carrefour des trois Banques,
Avenue Pape Jean Paul II, Cotonou, Benin.
(OFFICE OF THE INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT DEPT.)
YOUR REF: NUMBER 01445/UBA/X-23/7877
Office Line: (+229) 31 24 24 Fax: (+229) 31 51 77

Pay Urgent Attention.

This is to bring to your notice that your Funds US$5.2M which was
originally in
a certified bank draft have been loaded into an ATM Card and registered with
Express Post Courier Company for onward shipment to your address. The decision
to load your Funds into an ATM Card was because the Bank Draft is nearing
expiration and in accordance with the payment directive of the honorable
Minister of Economic and Finance Mr. Idriss Daouda, to ensure that you do not
loose the funds to expiration of the Bank Draft. The Registration and Delivery
Charge of the parcel to your address has been paid by the honorable
Minister of
Economic and Finance Mr. Idriss Daouda. The honorable Minister decided to pay
the Registration and shipment fees for all beneficiaries in order to avoid
further delay in claiming their respective ATM Cards.

Now I want you to contact Express Post Courier Company with your Full Contact
information and Direct Telephone number, so that they can deliver your
ATM VISA
CARD to your address without any delay. Like I stated earlier, the delivery
charges has been paid but their official Security Keeping fees was not paid
since they refused to accept, because they do not know when you are going to
contact them for the shipment. So have in mind that the demurrage will be
increasing if you delay to contact them. They told me that their Security
keeping fees is US$49 per day and the parcel was registered yesterday.
Below is
their Contact Information:....

Contact Person: Mr. Mark Patrick
Email: express-post-courier@zbavitu.net
Direct Line: +229 6629 9997

Contact them today to avoid accumulation of more security keeping fees and let
me know once you receive your Card. Most importantly, make sure that you
reconfirm your Current delivery address and direct telephone number to them to
avoid any mistake on the delivery. Also ask them to give you the
tracking number
to enable you track your package over there and know when it will get to your
address. Let me repeat, try to contact them as soon as you receive
this mail to
avoid any further delay that will lead to further accumulation of more
charges.

Thanks and have a nice day.

Yours Faithfully,

Mr. George Douglas
United Bank For Africa Plc (UBA)
Executive Director Foreign Operations,
Corporate & International Banking.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam