419 scam: "INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY COMMITTEE"<internationallotterco@payment.org> BCEAO BENIN-COTONOU

joewein.net

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:
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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.
- +2299668372 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY COMMITTEE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <f.federalministryoffinance@ymail.com>
Date: Sat, 2 Mar 2013 03:04:36 -0800
Subject: BCEAO BENIN-COTONOU

INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY COMMITTEE.

MICROSOFT CO-OPERATION MANAGEMENTWORLDWIDE.

COMPENSATION SERVICE CENTER.

Dear Winner

We are obliged to inform you that we have succeeded in resolving all related problems that have been hindering all MICROSOFT CO-OPERATION MANAGEMENTWORLDWIDE lottery winners payments with the Reff No ILP/HW-475061725107 and security code MSN/APRILXXX07.With the help of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) who has rendered a tremendous help to this exercise,

we regret to announce the mismanagement of beneficiaries fund by our appointed zonal managers.

We are not able to meet up with winners fund for long due to list of names that were due for payment.

In appreciation of your patience and understanding, we have decided to compensate you with the sum of (Euros 950,000.00 ) .Your identification code is UK/ILC-1759 for compensation.

You are to contact our Zonal Coordinator/payment Officer MR. HALBORN MIKE AT COTONOU DU BENIN REPUBLIC where your name is listed for payment.

Please do send him your information as follows and call him on phone:

1. Your given Names:(as Stated in your ID copy)

2. Your contact address:

3. Your telephone/Fax number:

4. Your nationality & Occupation:

5. Your Age & Sex:

********************************************************************************************

Name: HALBORN MIKE

Email: mikeprivatememo2@qatar.io

Telephone; +229-9668372

********************************************************************************************

NOTE: All claims must not exceed 14 days, thereafter unclaimed funds would be included in the next Compensation stake. Remember to quote your reference information in all correspondence.

Regards,

Mrs.Deborah Jones Mr.Lawrence Payley Mrs.Rosemary Peterson

Genaral Coordinator Head,Computer D.Base Secretary

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam