419 scam: "Eric Benson"<ericbenson449@gmail.com> Your Payment Through Western Union Money Transfer

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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. )
- "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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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. )
- "economic and financial crimes commission" (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. )
- "(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. )
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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.
- +2348037710105 (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.
- revjohnobi101@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Eric Benson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <revjohnobi101@sify.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2010 08:14:46 -0800
Subject: Your Payment Through Western Union Money Transfer

Attention:

This is to inform you that following the last meeting held by the member states of United Nations, World bank and Nigeria regarding the huge debts owed so many foreigners and with special emphasis on the provision of Section (114), Sub section (04) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I hereby inform you that your long overdue payment file has been verified and confirmed okay by this payment department.

In our bid to be transparent inline with the program of the new administration of President GoodLuck Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in conjunction with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in their crusade against corruption, I wish to let you know that every arrangements has been perfected to effect your payment as soon as possible.

However, be informed that it was resolved at the meeting that you will be paid $9,500 United States dollars everyday via Western union money transfer till the money you are being owed is completed, This decision was taken to avoid cases where by government officials and bank officials frustrate owed beneficiaries by asking for various amounts of money before beneficiaries payment are released.

To immediately start receiving this payment of $9,500 United States dollars everyday you are required to revalidate your file which will cost you the sum of $55 and that is the only fee you will pay to recieve your fund,you are hereby advice by contacting renowned Rev John Obi. below who will issue you the revalidation form, the money transfer information and ten digits Money transfer control numbers (MTCN NUMBERS) which you will use to receive the first payment in your country because it has already been sent.

Contact person in charge:Rev John Obi
Email Address: revjohnobi101@sify.com
Telephone: +234 8037710105

When contacting Rev John Obi. send the following information to him, which will be used for revalidation and verification of your payment file.
YOUR FULL NAME……………………………………………………………………
YOUR HOME OR OFFICE ADDRESS………………………………………………
YOUR AGE………………………… SEX ..……………………………………………
YOUR OCCUPATION …………………………………………………………………
TELEPHONE / FAX …………………………(MOBILE PHONE NO. PREFERED).

NOTE: That all foreign debt payments was approved by the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and Ministry of Finance in conjunction with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). So be advised to disregard any email from anywhere telling you to receive your payment via another means as all ATM payments, bank wire transfers have been cancelled to protect your interest.

For this reason you are hereby issued this secret security communication code (2009WEST), which you are to use in all your correspondences to any of our offices here in Nigeria this security code is to get rid of imposters, you might have dealt with in the past.
Do not reply any email without our official code: (2009WEST) please.

This is to notify you to disregard all the people you have being dealing with before regarding receiving your long overdue payment to avoid unnecessary delays and hitches as we wish to serve you in a timely manner. If you are still communicating or dealing with any imposter then you are doing so at your own risk and note that it is illegal to deal with such people because you have been notified by this FOREIGN DEBTS PAYMENT DEPARTMENT.

You can as well send the requested information to Rev John Obi by normal typing via his email address;( revjohnobi101@sify.com ) or you reply directly to us so that we can as well forward your information to him,with maximum cooperation with this foreign debts payment department you can receive your first payment tomorrow.

Regards,

Eric Benson
THE PRESIDENCY
FOREIGN DEBTS PAYMENT DEPARTMENT

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam