419 scam: "Mr. Joseph Leon"<mr.josephleon36@yahoo.com.ph> ATTN: THE BENEFICIARY,,,

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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:
- "00,000.00" (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)
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.
- +2348064252772 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Joseph Leon" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrleon@globomail.com>
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2012 02:51:17 +0100
Subject: ATTN: THE BENEFICIARY,,,

TRANS CODE: GIRS/VII-INCBK/12
PAYING BANK: ZENITH BANK PLC.
AMOUNT: US$3,600,000.00 DOLLARS.

Attn: The Beneficiary,

We hereby officially notifying you about the present arrangement to pay you, your over due contract/inheritance fund which you could not complete the process of the released of your transfer pin code through the Digitalized Payment System. We have decided to pay your funds without any requested fee but through (ATM Master Express Credit Card) This arrangement was initiated/constituted by the World Bank and Paris Club, due to fruadelent activities going on within the African Region.

The World Bank and Paris Club introduced this payment arrangement as to enable our contractors/inheritance beneficiary to receive their fund without any interfference. the ATM Master Express Credit Card was contracted and powered by GOLD CARD WORLD WIDE. Reconfirm the following information to us for Security reason.

1)YOUR FULL NAME
2)YOUR RECEIVING ADDRESS.
3)YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER
4)YOUR PROFESSION

Upon the receipt of this mail we are going to load your fund into the Master Express Credit Card and send a scan copy of the card to you before we will proceed to despatch the card directly to your nominated home addresss so you absolutely have nothing to worry about all we need is your Prompt Response and Co-operation by Gods Grace we will have a successfull Transaction.

I wait to hear from you as soon as possible.

Best Regards,

Mr. Joseph Leon
Executive Director,
Remittance/Foreign Operations Dept,
ZENITH BANK PLC
Tel:+234 806 4252772

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam