419 scam: FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF BENIN <office---offic5535@att.net> FROM THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF BENIN

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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:
- "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. )
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (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. )
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "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 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.
- +22999873477 (Benin, probably a 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.
- interl.federalhcbj@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF BENIN <office---offic5535@att.net>
Reply-To: interl.federalhcbj@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2011 05:34:19 -0800 (PST)
Subject: FROM THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF BENIN

.ExternalClass .ecxhmmessage p { padding: 0px; }.ExternalClass body.ecxhmmessage { font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; }

FROM THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF BENIN
(Civil
Procedure)
(F.H.C.B)
(ARANGEMENT)

Hello, Sir
,

This is to acknowledge you that your e-mail id
is found among those that have been scammed, and the competiation have been
approved from the supreme high court here in Benin and we are asked to contact
you by the Benin president on how to send you your($2.7 Miliion) united state
dollars by the diplomatic courier agent and the fund has been arrenged on ATM
CARD.

So you are advice to contact the ATM
CARD CENTER in charge where your total fund ($2.7 Miliion) is deposited.
And make sure you contact them with your full Contact information such as listed
below.

A...Your full Name.....
B...Your home
address.......
C...Telephone number.........
D...Your
occupation............

E...Country........................
F...your international passport/or drivers licens or
state I.D
Card........

Remember,the reason why your total fund was
arrenged on ATM CARD is because many People complain about Froud stars
every day from Benin and we are trying to stop this fraudulent from Benin and am
asuring you that it will stop because we are now working with the internet
operation and also the united state FBI and Ecconomic financial crime commisiion (EFCC).

And many people have been scamed by bank wire
transfer going around the whole africa and the reason to STOP paying money to
the froud stars So the scam can be
eradicated in this country and I want you to follow your fund code which follow
bellow, and whish is given to you by the Federal high court of Benin and the
code is (746*78F*GN)

And I want you to keep this code, because this code
will ensure and Alert you in any day you receive a scam e-mail from this
country. And as soon as you contact ATM CARD CENTRE with your full
contact information requested, they will forward everything to the Benin
presidency office to issue out your fund certificate as the rightful
beneficiary.

INTEGRATED THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF BENIN
CONTACT PERSON: Barr.
George Clement
TELE: +229-99873477
E-mail Address: interl.federalhcbj@hotmail.com

Contact them in regarding of the ATM
card to be send to you by the Diplomatic (GSDS) and also you
the beneficiary will be responsible for shipping fees so as to avoid any scam
and the fees is just $125 and you
will receive your CARD without any delay, Please note that you are advice to
send the fee by western union or money gram with the below details:

Sender's Name:-----------
Receiver's
Name: Godson C. Oteh
Text Question: Who?
Answer:
Godson
City/Country: Cotonou Benin
Republic.
MTCN:--------------
Amount: $125
Please
note that as soon as the fee is sent, you have to forward us the MTCN/payment
slip, so that we can keep it in our file. The director in charges of your ATM BOX will alert the
united state bureau and also your state police for the ATM BOX to be deliver to
you without any restriction and problem when the fund get to your location area.

Thanks.
Barr. George Clement
FROM THE CHIEF GEORGE FEDERAL
HIGH COURT OF BENIN

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam