419 scam: "Mrs. Herve Assah"<test@powertel.net.au> from the Director of foreign Payment

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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:
- "foreign payment unit" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "abuja" (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 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.
- herveassahecobank@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Herve Assah" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <herveassahecobank@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2014 15:25:59 +0300
Subject: from the Director of foreign Payment

THE PRESIDENT NEW FEDERAL SECRETARIAT, SHEHU SHAGARI WAY,
ABUJA TELEGRAM/ PRES-234-FGN
SENATOR DAVID MARK
THE SENATE PRESIDENT FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

Our Ref: PRS/COM/00452/IMP

ATTENTION: Dear

RE: FINAL NOTIFICATION ON FOREIGN PAYMENT.

In line with the recent directive by the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr.Goodluck Jonathan., authorizing this office to verify/reconcile the entire approved Payment File certified OK SINCE THIS YEAR 2014.

The Presidency in collaboration with the Senate Committee on Foreign Payment decided unanimously and issued an irrevocable payment instruction to the FOREIGN PAYMENT UNIT OF AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP NIGERIA, to transfer your fund under 72Hrs upon the re-confirmation of your Payment/Banking information.

Subsequently we received a sudden application for change of your bank account by some person{s} stating that you are dead and that they are your Next-of-kin, with a new bank account, which has been processed and approved by the Federal Ministry of Finance.But we refused to honor this application for change of account and insisted that you will be contacted for verification purpose before the transfer will be done.

We write to inquire from you the sincerity of this application made by your acclaimed Next of Kin as this nascent Democratic Government will not be held responsible for any wrongful transfer of your fund. You are therefore required to contact me Mrs.Herve Assah Director of foreign Payment Ecobank Nig Plc EMAIL: herveassahecobank@gmail.com under 48hrs to ascertain the authenticity of this application, and if you are still alive.

Thanking you for your understanding and cooperation, All correspondence should be relayed to me Mrs. Herve Assah Director of foreign Payment Ecobank Nig Plc, For the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Regards

Mrs. Herve Assah
Director of foreign Payment
Ecobank Nig Plc
EMAIL: herveassahecobank@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam