419 scam: ''Mr. <Ben Smith'> Email and call Mr Ben Smith EFCC Recovery Fund Unit

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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:
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (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.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- +2349031386789 (Nigeria, 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.
- bensmith_001@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: ''Mr. <Ben Smith'>
Reply-To: bensmith_001@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2016 14:32:49 -0400
Subject: Email and call Mr Ben Smith EFCC Recovery Fund Unit

ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION (EFCC) FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT, I am =
Mr. Ibrahim Larmode the new chairman of ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSI=
ON (EFCC). EFCC in alliance with economic community of West African states =
(ECOWAS) with head Office here in Nigeria. We have been working towards the=
eradication of fraudsters and scam Artists in Western part of Africa With =
the help of United States Government and the United Nations. We have been a=
ble to track down so many of this scam artist in various parts of west Afri=
can countries which includes (NIGERIA, REPUBLIC OF BENIN, TOGO, GHANA CAMER=
OUN AND SENEGAL) and they are all in our custody here in Lagos Nigeria. We =
have been able to recover so much money from these scam artists. The United=
Nation Anti-crime commission and the United State Government have ordered =
the money recovered from the Scammers to be shared among 100 Lucky people a=
round the globe. This email is being directed to you because your email add=
ress was found in one of the scam Artists file and computer hard disk in ou=
r custody here in Nigeria and with the information gardered from this Scam =
artist, we notice that you have been scammed of so much money and have deci=
ded to compensate you with a little token to recover the lost of your fund.=
You are therefore being compensated with the total sum $2.5 Million Dollar=
s. We have also arrested all those who claim that they are barristers, bank=
officials, Lottery Agents who has money for transfer or want you to be the=
next of kin of such funds which does not exist. Since your name appeared a=
mong the lucky beneficiaries who will receive a compensation of US$2.5 Mill=
ion, we have made arrangement to register an Online Banking through our Glo=
bal Bank, where you will have full access to your Online Banking Account Fu=
nd, to transfer your fund personally to your Private Bank Account with no c=
omplication of things or questioning as the Account will be fully registere=
d in your Name. Feel free to contact the processing officer Mr.BEN SMITH. T=
he online Banking Processing is made much easier for you to transfer your f=
und to your private Bank Account personally, to avoid any delay or complica=
tion of things. With this Online Banking Transfer Processing, you can only =
transfer the Maximum Amount of US$500.000.00 daily/instalmentaly until the =
total amount of your Compensated/deposited fund is transferred and complete=
ly paid to you. So you are advice to contact, processing officer MR. BEN SM=
ITH with your provided information=92s required for verification below. CON=
TACT PERSON: MR. BEN SMITH. CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS: bensmith_001@yahoo.com C=
ONTACT TELEPHONE: +234-9031386789. Provide the information bellow to enable=
the processing of your Online Banking Account for deposition of your total=
compensated fund. 1)YOUR FULL NAME. 2)YOUR ADDRESS. 3)YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBE=
R. 4)YOUR OCCUPATION 5)YOUR IDENTITY. 6) COUNTRY Contact Mr BEN SMITH with =
the information required for verification to enable him start the processin=
g of your Online Banking Account Registration. We guarantee your safety and=
wish you the best of luck. Best Regard, Mr. Ibrahim Larmode CHAIRMAN ECONO=
MIC & FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION (EFCC) FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT, NIGERIA, L=
AGOS-NIGERIA=20

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam