419 scam: JOHN STEFANIA III <secreatry@globomail.com> KEEP FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION UPDATED ONCE YOU FOLLOWED OUR INSTRUCTION

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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:
- "activation fee" (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. )
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "robert mueller" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real FBI will not tell you to contact some email address. If you are in any doubt, contact an FBI field office via www.fbi.gov. )
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "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 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.
- +22998952802 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: JOHN STEFANIA III <secreatry@globomail.com>
Reply-To: mr.williams_johnson1@globomail.com
Date: Sun, 2 Oct 2011 02:27:32 +0100 (BST)
Subject: KEEP FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION UPDATED ONCE YOU FOLLOWED OUR INSTRUCTION AND GET YOUR FUND NOW.

ROBERT MUELLER III

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FBI
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
FBI.WASHINGTON D.C
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION SEEKING TO
WIRETAP
INTERNET

ATTENTION: FUND BENEFICIARY,
IT HAS COME TO OUR NOTICE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH AN
IMPOSTOR WHICH WE HAVE BEEN WARNING YOU TO TERMINATE ANY CONTACT WITH.THIS IS
ALSO TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR FUND WILL BE TRANSFER TO YOU THROUGH A NOTABLE BANK
IN UNITED STATES (CITI BANK).

WE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE PEOPLE YOU ARE DEALING WITH ARE TRYING
EVERY POSSIBLE MEANS FOR YOU TO PAY AN UPFRONT FEE WHICH YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSE TO
PAY. THE ONLY FEE WHICH YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR TRANSFER IS
THE SUM OF US$121 WHICH THE ACTIVATION FEE OF THE ACCOUNT WHICH WILL BE USE TO
CREDIT YOUR FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AND IT IS MANDATORY. AS SOON AS THE FEE OF
US$121 IS BEEN PAID, YOU WILL BE ISSUED A TRANSFER CODE THAT YOU WILL TENDER TO
YOUR BANK FOR CONFIRMATION OF YOUR SAID AMOUNT AS WE THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATION HAS ARRESTED ALL THE DIPLOMATS CONVEYING THE DELIVERING OF YOUR
FUND INTO THE UNITED STATE OF AMERICA AS ITS ILEGAL CONTRARY TO THE FBI /IRS LAW
HERE IN USA SO WE ORDER YOUR FUND TO BE DEPOSITED AT CITI BANK FOR FINAL
CREDITING TO YOUR ACCOUNT.

MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT THE INTERNATIONAL FOREIGN REMITTANCE
DEPARTMENT ON HOW YOU WILL MAKE THE PAYMENT OF US$121 AND THE POSSIBLE DAY TO
RECEIVE THE CODE.

THIS IS THE INFORMATION TO CONTACT MR HENRY COLE PAYMENT
CENTER.PLEASE RECONFIRM YOUR INFORMATION TO THEM SUCH AS YOUR FULL NAME, HOME
ADDRESS, AGE, OCCUPATION, CITY, TELEPHONE NUMBER, AMOUNT DUE,MEANWHILE YOU ARE
ADVISED TO STOP DELAYING WITH ANY DIPLOMATIC AGENT OR OTHER BANKS AT THE MOMENT
AS YOUR ONLY EXISTING FUND HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO THE CUSTODY OF CITIBANK
ACCORDING TO FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION CARRIED OUT, SO WE ARE MONITORING
YOU AND WILL PENALIZE YOU IF YOU CONTINUE TO DELAY WITH ANY OTHER
PERSON.

CONTACT NAME: MR. WILLIAMS JOHNSON
CONTACT NUMBER:+229
98952802
OFFICE ADDRESS: 15 KOLOGWOBA AVENUE COCO TOME
CONTACT
E-MAIL: mr.williams_johnson1@globomail.com

THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) WASHINGTON, D.C,
VEHEMENTLY ADVISE YOU COMPLY WITH THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY IN CHARGE OF YOUR FUND
AND ADHERE TO EVERY INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO YOU, FOR SMOOTH AND EASY TRANSACTIONS,
YOU'RE HEREBY AUTHORIZE TO CONTACT HENRY COLE VIA THE ABOVE INFORMATION ON HOW
YOU'RE TO OBTAIN THE TRANSFER CODE WHICH WILL COST YOU APPROXIMATELY US$121 AND
IF YOU'RE ASK TO SEND ANY MORE MONEY ASIDE THE ACTIVATION OF THE TRANSFER CODE,
DO NOT HESITATE TO NOTIFY THIS OFFICE FOR SECURITY REASONS AND IMMEDIATE
INTERVENTION.

THE $121 FOR THE ACTIVATION OF THE ACCOUNT SHOULD BE SENT WITH THE
FOLLOWING INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY.

RECEIVER NAME:: ONYI JOHN
CITY:: COTONOU
COUNTRY::BENIN
REPUBLIC
TEST QUESTION::FOR WHAT?
ANSWER::CODE.
AMOUNT::$121 US
DOLLARS.

ENSURE YOU FORWARD YOUR ADDRESS ALONG WITH THE PAYMENT DETAILS TO
ENABLE OUR PAYING AGENT PROCESS THE TRANSFER ACTIVATION CODE
IMMEDIATELY.

KEEP FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION UPDATED ONCE YOU FOLLOWED OUR
INSTRUCTION AND GET YOUR FUND NOW.

BEST REGARDS,

JOHN STEFANIA III
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
J.
EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,
NW WASHINGTON,
D.C

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam