419 scam: "Dr. Thomas Yayi Boni" <diplomaticagent044@gmail.com> Attention,

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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:
- "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. )
- "consignment " (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)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "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 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.
- yayibonithomas@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Thomas Yayi Boni" <diplomaticagent044@gmail.com>
Reply-To: yayibonithomas@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2014 07:21:46 -0800
Subject: Attention,

Attention,

Good day dear beneficiary. This is the president of Benin republic by
name Dr. Thomas Yayi Boni. I am writing this email to inform you that
after the meeting held in my office yesterday been 19th which consist
between the United States Embassy and the United Nations,African
ECOWAS we have concluded that you will be compensated with all the
money you have loosed in the hands of Africans and most especially
BENIN REPUBLIC precisely.

After receiving many complaints that many was scammed through WESTERN
UNION, MONEY GRAM, BANK TRANSFER AND DELIVERY COURIER COMPANIES (ATM
cards and consignment packages) including CHAMBERS as well, so I'm
pleading with all scammed citizens that anyone that has been scammed
due to one reason or the other and for anything would be compensated
back and no matter your country or continent, AFRICA, ASIA PACIFIC,
ENGLAND, EUROPE, ETC. all scammed person(s) would be compensated and
would be sent their compensation funds.

Furthermore, every client and beneficiaries would be send their
compensation fund sum of of $10,Million USD each. And this fund would
be sent to you through BANK DRAFT CHECK and it would be sent to you in
form of an executive enveloped sealed letter and there will nothing
like any delivery agent or courier company involved in this, perhaps,
this letter would be sent to you through POST OFFICE and would be sent
directly to your home address and P.O BOX.
Therefore, all beneficiaries is expected to send the below details for
fast procedure and immediate co-operation;

Full Name:
Home Address:
Country:
P.O. Box Address:
Postal Address:
Telephone Number:
Age and Sex:
Contact Email: yayibonithomas@gmail.com

Finally, all the scammed beneficiaries would be sent this compensation
fund of $10,million USD and the only money that would be involved in
this would be the posting fee of $77 each and this would be the only
money that would be paid by the beneficiary of the funds and that is
all. Moreover,there will be no C.O.D in this stated method of payment
and every beneficiary has just from now till the 24th of this Feb.
2014 to comply and correspond with this office respectively.

Be informed to use this below information to make the payment of $77:

Receiver's name.........Joseph Ngene
Country.. ...................Benin Republic
City.. ........................Cotonou
Zip Code....................00229
Text Question............with
Text Answer..............today
Amount:..................$77
MTCN.................
Sender................

Your urgent and fast response is highly needed and would be highly
appreciated, so as to enable this issue to be settled once and for all.

His Excellency,
Dr. Thomas Yayi Boni
President of Benin Republic.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam