419 scam: "Mr.James Knight" <hiwindsftp@secrel.com.br> US Ambassador to Benin Republic

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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. )
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "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 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.
- mrjamesknight98@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.James Knight" <hiwindsftp@secrel.com.br>
Reply-To: mrjamesknight98@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2017 05:15:23 -0300 (BRT)
Subject: US Ambassador to Benin Republic

--
US Ambassador to Benin Republic

Without mincing words, I am convinced 100% that you have had bitter
experience with various scammers' claiming to be high government officials
and thereby defrauding you of your hard-earned money'. The activities of
these scammers has changed your perspective about conducting business on
the internet, and you now believed there is no genuine business that can
be conducted on the internet. Well, I am an American and the internet was
created by Americans for the purpose of

creating awareness for your products/services and conducting genuine
business with ease. I am fully committed to deliver the "diplomatic
consignment" to you in the United States and every paths in the World
Countries in order to differentiate myself from the many Benin Republic
you have dealt with. I am a full citizen of the United States and trained
in many countries , but I was on a Foreign Mission here in Benin as a US
Ambassador. Hence, I am making every efforts to ensure that no citizen of
the United States and other countries is cheated by Benin Republic .

Therefore, I need your ultmost support and understanding to actualize this
dream. I also want you to understand that I do trust you and I expect you
to show me the same trust and respect in return since trust is a 2-way
street. On the other hand, trust is a relationship of reliance. Trust also
means being able to predict what other people will do and what situations
will occur.

Trust is both an emotional and logical act. Emotionally, it is where you
expose your vulnerabilities to people, but believing they will not take
advantage of your openness. Logically, it is where you have assessed the
probabilities of gain and loss, calculating expected utility based on hard
performance data, and concluded that the person in question will behave in
a predictable manner. In practice, trust is a bit of both. I trust you
because I have experienced your trustworthiness by merely believing in
what I have said, even when you have not seen me, and because I have faith
in human nature.

Frankly speaking, I understand that anyone in your shoes will
feelbetrayed, but I still want you to show me your trust by giving me the
benefit of doubt on this delivery arrangement. My identity and personality
is verifiable, and I promise to deliver the consignment to you in your
country and united state without any hitch. Please do not allow this
mission to die off because of

$79.00 dollars. I meant so well for you and I believe you will appreciate
me more when you have finally received your partial payment of
$2.8millinon usd dollars upon my arrival with the package in your country.
I will use my position and personality to deposit the $2.8millinon usd
dollars into your bank account in your country without questioning from
the financial monitoring authorities, since all documentations proving the
legitimacy of the funds has been Afficher l'historique des mails

Please don't see me as one of the numerous dubious Benin republic you have
dealt with in the past. I am a different person entirely and I come from a
different continent. I have the American spirit in me and I hate cheaters.
I promise to always uphold the national unity of the United States.Please
reply back ASAP and let me know your possibility of sending the $79.00
dollars today.

send it via western union Or Money Gram Or Ria Money Transfer with below
name: JOHN MBA

Reciever's name.........John Mba

Country..........Benin Republic,

City...........Cotonou

Text Question.......Best

Answer..........Way

Amount ........$79 usd, Only

Mtcn no.......

Sender's Name.....

Respectfully yours,

E-mail Address ( mrjamesknight98@gmail.com )
Mr.James Knight

US Ambassador to Benin Republic

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam