419 scam: ECO BANK <officefile0009@ukr.net> FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT

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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. )
- "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. )
- "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.
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.
- +22998383284 (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.
- ecob-ank-plc@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: ECO BANK <officefile0009@ukr.net>
Reply-To: ecob-ank-plc@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 09:06:19 +1200 (NZST)
Subject: FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT

FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
TREASURY BILLS & BOUND
NO-4 WALTON HALL,
TRADE FAIR BALONGUN. TELE +229-98383284

ECO BANK PLC NOTICE BOARD,

I AM MANAGER ROBERT NMA, I WRITE TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT I WAS APPOINTED AS THE NEW BANK MANAGER OF ECO BANK PLC AND AS I RESUME FULL WORK 7 MAY 2012 I FOUND YOUR TRANSACTION FILE AND THAT YOUR TRANSFER IN THE BANK BOUNDED ACCOUNT HAS NOT BEEN EFFECTED TO YOU SINCE THE PAST YEARS AND AS I HAVE THE NEW PROJECT AT HAND, I HAVE FORWARD YOUR PAYMENT FILE TO OUR FOREIGN TRANSFER UNIT TO LOOK INTO YOURFILE AND HAVE YOUR PENDING TRANSACTION WITH THE BANK COMPLETED TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT IN YOUR COUNTRY.

AFTER THE OFFICIAL MEETING WITH THE BOARD OF FOREIGN TRANSFER UNIT THIS MORNING,IT WAS APPROVED THAT YOUR TOTAL DUE SUM OF $12.5million USD IN THE BANK BOUNDED ACCOUNT SHOULD BE WIRE TRANSFERD INTO YOUR OVER SEE ACCOUNT .

TO CARRY OUT THIS TRANSFER, THE FOREIGN TRANSFER BOARD HAS OUTLINE THAT FIRST YOU MUST BECOME AN ACCOUNT HOLDER WITH THIS BANK AND THIS SIMPLY MEANS THAT YOU HAVE TO OPEN A NON-RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK TO ENABLE THE FOREIGN TRANSFER UNIT BE ABLE TO REMIT YOUR DEPOSITED FUND IN THE BANK BOUNDED ACCOUNT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK BEFORE WE CAN BE ABLE TO TRANSFER THE TOTAL MONEY IN THIS YOUR ACCOUNT TO YOUR OVERSEA ACCOUNT THERE IN YOUR COUNTRY.AND TO OPEN AN NON-RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK WILL COST YOU JUST $90USD ONLY FOR YOU TO BECOME AN ACCOUNT HOLDER WITH THIS BANK .a)THE BANK CHARGE YOU $60.00 USD TO OPEN A NON RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNT FOR YOU.

b)AND YOU MUST HAVE A BALANCE OF AT LEAST $30.00USD IN THIS YOUR NON-RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK BEFORE WE CAN BE ABLE TO CREDIT YOUR FUND FROM THE BANK BOUNDED ACCOUNT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK IN READINESS FOR THE TRANSFER TO YOUR OVERSEAS ACCOUNT. THE FOREIGN TRANSFER UNIT HAS APPOINTED AN ACCOUNT OFFICE WHO WILL OPEN THE NON-RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNT FOR YOU ONCE YOU COMPROMISE AND SEND THE OPEN ACCOUNT FEE TO HIS INFORMATION BELOW. IT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED THAT YOU SHOULD USE YOUR ACCOUNT OFFICE NAME AND DETAILS BELOW AND SEND THE OPEN ACCOUNT CHARGE OF $90 VIA WESTERN UNION NOW SO AS TO SPEED UP THE RATE OF PICK UP AND THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER BE CONDUCTED TO YOU IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY.
ACCOUNT OFFICE DETAILS.

RECEIVER NAME==============CHINWEUBA PETER
COUNTRY====================BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY=========================COTONOU
TEST QUESTION TO BE USED=====TAG
ANSWER======================PIN

AFTER YOU SEND THE OPEN ACCOUNT CHARGE $90 GET BACK TO US
WITH THE MTCN AND AS WELL AS YOUR ACCOUNT INFORMATION WHERE THE TRANSFER SHALL BE CONDUCTED TO YOU AS STATED BELOW.

Full names...............
Address................
Country...............
Telephone and Fax numbers...............
Occupation...............
Yours ID or your drivers license ...............
Bank name and address...............
Bank account number...............
claimer Signature................
Date...............

YOURS IN SERVICE,
THE MANAGER,
ECO BANK PLC
MD.ROBERT NMA
Direct phone +229 9838 3284
ecob-ank-plc@hotmail.com

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