419 scam: "Mr Ben Duke"<test@yacz.gov.cn> Greetings,

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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:
- "a security company " (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. )
- "i am using this medium to " (a common phrase found 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.
- +2348062704656 (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.
- benduke_101@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Ben Duke" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <benduke_101@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:29:15 -0500
Subject: Greetings,

Greetings,

In accordance to my religious persuasion, I felt expedient to write and inform you on the wicked conspiracy hatched by the duo of JUSTICE AKANBI and Mr. Naiyaju of the Ministry of Finance to divert your money to their designated account in Europe. From my position as a lowly clerk in this office, I discovered that they moved the fund from africa to Spain and then moved it last week to Banco Italiano in ITALY. Today I found out through the Central computer database that they are about to reroute your fund to a security company in London. With this, I felt that it is important for me to alert you on this development.

They are still using your name and contract/inheritance identification number as the beneficiary but they have changed the account co-0rdinate and this is the reason they are frustrating you by asking for endless fees in order to buy time pending when they will transfer your funds to their designated account in cayman islands. I have the reference number of the transaction and the number of the official who is directly in charge at the SECURITY COMPANY in LONDON.

And if you have never been contacted before I am using this medium to inform you that your fund is being diverted and you have to act fast because it is your name which is on the case file, so be aware as they are hiding this from you long ago until I came across your case file.

Your payment is supposed to go through the London credit control financial clearing house before finally Lodged in the security company there in London.All the data about your claim profile are within my reach. I do not need gratification from you either in cash or kind. I can never be a part of evil because the bible said YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE.

Please respect my discretion in this matter, you can send an email to me so I can give you the reference code number and the name and ontact information of the officials of the security company in London. I repeat, please do not expose my person, it is not easy to get jobs around here and I cannot contend with these powerful individuals because they can eliminate me just like that. Do get back to us with a reachable phone number for easy communication.

Contact me on
benduke_101@yahoo.com.hk
+234 806 270 4656

God bless you
BEN DUKE

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam