419 scam: Christ Lawson <xaaxzzzxaaxzzz@yahoo.com> ATTN CONTACAT THE NABK ATTN:BENEFICIARY WITH THIS PAYMENT FILE NUMBER:A

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "transfer cost" (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. )
- "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. )
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
- "fankplc@w.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +22968229394 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Christ Lawson <xaaxzzzxaaxzzz@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: fankplc@w.cn
Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2011 09:54:57 -0800 (PST)
Subject: ATTN CONTACAT THE NABK ATTN:BENEFICIARY WITH THIS PAYMENT FILE NUMBER:A

FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE.
Office of the Minister of Finance
12 LEKKI PENINSULA, REPUBLIC BENIN
TEL: +229 68-22-93-94 . (Hot-Line)

Ref:   FMF/SGH/019/08
Ref:   FMF/SGH/019/08

ATTN:BENEFICIARY WITH THIS PAYMENT FILE NUMBER: A

Transfer Notice for your due Funds (US$15Million).
Payment File No: A..
24Hours Service

It is very important that the recipient of this Letter should call this office in order to confirm it to us that this very Letter was received by the true beneficiary , You are advised to read this Letter very carefully because every paragraph explains what you need to know about the Release and Transfer of your due Funds.

At this point, we wish to remind you to stop all further contact with any person or person(s) whom is not recommended by this Ministry. Our Intelligence Monitoring Unit (I.M.U), Code of Conduct Bureau, Legal Unit and The Nigerian Police Force (N.P.F) have already apprehended some of those suspects whom attempted to divert your Funds.

You are advised to stop all further contact with any office(s) or person(s) because they are WANTED criminal suspects.

As the honorable Minister of Benin Republic, I work on behalf of the Paying Bank of Benin (United Bank of Africa) under the supervision of the honorable President of The Federal Republic of Benin Republic.
We have acknowledged your previous email response and to that effect we are glad to announce it to you today that the honorable President of The Federal Republic of

Benin and the Accountant General of the Federation have collectively Approved and signed the Order to Release and Transfer being the certified documentation authorizing us (The Federal Ministry of Finance) to credit your nominated Bank Account..

A copy of the Order to Release and Transfer have been forwarded to our international remittance department for the onward crediting of your Funds.

In other words, we put it to you that we are ready to remit your said Funds into your choice Bank Account because we have a 3-4 working days time constrain to Pay-off
each beneficiary short-listed to be Paid by this Ministry. Our Legal Unit have already reviewed your Payment Files and they have passed it on to my desk for me to Pay you accordingly, so be rest assured that you will receive your due Funds as soon as possible. Officially, you will receive your due Funds via an "foreign Bank Transfer" which will enable your Funds reflect in your choice Bank Account within 48hours after effect. This mode of Payment is defined as one of the best and safest mode to remit huge Funds internationally as it is absolutely different from the usual swift transfer which takes longer time. Most Banks within the United States of America, Europe and other developed countries operate with the "Foreign bank Transfer" for international transfers because it is a recent innovation in the Banking industry.

Certainly we shall transfer your valued US$15Million from the Sundry/Suspense Account of the Federal Government of Benin Republic being the official Account for international/foreign Payments/debts. A Sundry/Suspense Account can be defined as a secret Account owned by a government and operated by certain assigned government officials being the authorized signatories whom must sign before Funds can be remitted from such account. For this very account no form of direct withdrawals can be made from it except a Bank to Bank wire transfer which must be Approved by the honorable President being the principal signatory to the account.

Consequent to the fact that I am responsible to Pay you, it is still my duty to enlighten you on the accurate steps to take in order for you to gain full possession of this said Funds being Approved in your name.

In the combat against fraud, Funds diversion and Funds delay, we have re-lengthily ensured that several foreign beneficiaries have been Paid accordingly in order to retain and rekindle our country's reputation on the global map because this recent government dispensation is focused and targeted to relieve all foreign debts as mandated by The Senate, The National House of Assembly, The Federal Executive Council (F.E.C), Code of Conduct Bureau and The Federal Ministry of Finance (F.M.F).

Already, a lot of foreign beneficiaries have been Paid by this Ministry so yours will not be an exception considering the fact that the honorable President have

Approved your due Funds.
Again You must pay the sum of US$100.00 for the transfer cost, so use below information to send it through western union money transfer OR money gram.

NAME: Augustine Umeh
country : Benin Republic
AMOUNT:   $100 ONLY
Text Question: Colour
Answer:   White
Sender Name:
Address:
Country
MTCN:

In accordance to section (1) paragraph 9 of the Settlement Edict Law of The Federal Republic of Benin of 1992, it is imperative that you provide us with the below

listed information so that we can Pay you.

1. Bank Name and Address.
2.. Bank Account Number.
3. Account Holder's Full Name.
4. Routing Number/Swift Code (very important).
5. Your Residential Address.
6. Your mobile or home telephone Number.
7. A form of identification (I.D Card or Driver's License) is also required for official references.

The TRUTH is what we stand for. TEL: +229 68-22-93-94.
This Official Letter is being issued to you by "The Federal Ministry of Finance" in collaboration with The Presidency.

Copied to:

The Accountant General of The Federation.
United Bank Of Africa (FINANCIAL BANK BENIN).
The President's office.

Yours Sincerely,
Christ Lawson.
Minister Of Finance
Federal Republic Of Benin.
Direct Tel: +229 68-22-93-94.E-mail address (fankplc@w.cn)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam