419 scam: John Benson <aseppurnama@hotmail.com> GOOD NEWS

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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.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "chief auditor" (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.
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.
- +22998785325 (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.
- bensonjohn122@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: John Benson <aseppurnama@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 09:21:33 +0000
Subject: GOOD NEWS

Chief Auditor of the African Development Bank (ADB).
Address Sobac AGF Avenue Delorme Carré 5
Benin Republic.

Attention Dear Friend,

Please, kindly pardon me for any inconvenience this letter may cost you because I know it may come to you as a surprise as we have no previous correspondence. I got your contact as I was searching for an assistant in your country. I'm contacting you for a good business that I want you to help me and get this fund into your bank account in your country with good report received about you and believing that it would be really workout between us both.

I am the Chief Auditor of the African Development Bank Cotonou, Benin Branch family man with two children, I discovered the money in the amount of ($20.410.000.00 USD) Over the last 2010 business financial statement, and I packed the transaction that will benefit you and I, as chief auditor of African Development Bank Benin Republic, I feel it my duty to send a financial report to my head office in the capital at the end of each fiscal year.

I placed this funds on what we call escrow call with no beneficiary. As an employee of this bank I can not be directly related to the money, so my aim of contacting you to help me get this money into your bank account and get 30% of the total funds as commission, while 70% goes to me. Please, there is no risk if you can work with my instructions and this business is the bank to bank transfer, all I need from you to stand as the original depositor of the said fund, which made a deposit with my branch so that my head office can order the transfer into your designated bank account.

If you agree with me to work on confidence, I appreciate it very much. Contact me through my email and forward your contact phone number including your email address to me as stated to enable me call you for more discussion regarding this transaction.

1) Age: ................................
2) Marital Status ................................
3) Occupation:................................................
4) Home Phone:.....................
5) Office Phone:.....................................
6) Company Name:.....................................
7) Country Full Name:..................................
8) Your Full Name:.....................................
9) Your House Address:....................................................

Contact me in my personal email as stated bellow and call me on phone for easy communication: My E-mail (bensonjohn122@yahoo.com.hk) My phone number(+229-98785325) I will present your name in our head office as the really depositor of the total sum.

I await your prompt response.

Sincerely,
Mr.John Benson.
Chief Auditor.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam