419 scam: "Mr Nugroho Abdullah" <edthompsoninyang@gmail.com> MINISTRY OF FINANCE

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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:
- "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "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.
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.
- ministryoffin01@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Nugroho Abdullah" <edthompsoninyang@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ministryoffin01@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2011 11:59:22 -0400
Subject: MINISTRY OF FINANCE

MINISTRY OF FINANCE
01 BP 4209
Cotonou-Republic of Benin

ATTN BENEFICIARY

THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE VERIFIED YOUR CONTRACT
/INHERITANCE FILES, AND FOUND OUT THAT YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO RECEIVE YOUR
PAYMENTFROM THIS AUTHORITY BEFORE NOW. THE REASON WHY YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED
YOURPAYMENT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT FUFILLED THE OBLIGATIONS GIVEN TO YOU
INRESPECT OF YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE PAYMENT.

SECONDLY WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT YOU ARE STILL DEALING WITH THE
NONEOFFICIALS IN THE BANK ON THE ATTEMPT TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF THE FUND TO
YOU.WE WISH TO ADVISE YOU THAT SUCH AN ILLEGAL ACT WILL HAVE TO STOP IF YOU
WISHESTO RECEIVE YOUR PAYMENT, SINCE THIS AUTHORITY HAVE DECIDED TO PAY YOU
THECONTRACT INHERITED FUNDS YOU ARE ENTITLED TO BE PAID.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT THROUGH OUR SWIFT CARD PAYMENT
CENTERASIA PA CIFIC, WHICH IS THE LATEST INSTRUCTION FROM THE MEETING WE HELD
INREPUBLIC OF BENIN. WE WILL SEND YOU AN ATM CARDATM MACHINE IN ANY PART OF
THE WORLD, BUT THE MAXIMUM IS FIVETHOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED UNITED STATES DOLLARS
PER DAY.

SO IF YOU WISHE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND IN THIS PROCESS PLEASE LET US KNOW
BYRESPONDING TO THIS MAIL.

WE HAVE MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT USD$1.5 MILLION AS PART PAYMENT FOR THIS
FISCALYEAR 2011.ALSO FOR YOUR INFORMATION, YOU ARE ADVICED TO STOP ANY
FURTHERCOMMUNICATION WITH ANY OTHER PERSON(S) OR OFFICE(s) TO AVOID ANY
HITCHES INRECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT.

NOTE: BECAUSE OF IMPOSTORS, WE HEREBY ISSUED YOU OUR CODE OF CONDUCT, WHICH IS
(ATM-0011) SO YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS CODE AS YOUR SUBJECT WHEN
CONTACTINGTHIS OFFICE.

YOU HAVE TO RECONFIRM YOUR INFORMATION WHERE YOU WANT YOUR ATM CARD TO
DELVERAND YOUR DIRECT PHONE NUMBER IMMEDIATELY TO THIS OFFICE.

REGARDS,

ACHIBONG FRANCIS
Email: ministryoffin01@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam