419 scam: "ECOBANK PLC"<ecobankbenin761@yahoo.de> READ YOUR MESSAGE

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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "infoecobank@qq.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +22998373457 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "ECOBANK PLC" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <officefile20@qq.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 05:24:45 -0800
Subject: READ YOUR MESSAGE

>From the desk of Dr.Bankole Williams
International Settlement Dept.
Ecobank plc-Cotonou Benin Republic
Tel: +229 98 373 457
E-mail: infoecobank@qq.com

Immediate ATM DEBIT Cash Card Payment Notification

Your Name And Your Email ID Was Given To This Office In Respect Of Your Total inherited/Contract Sum Owed To You Which You Have Failed To Claim Because Of Either Non-Compliance Of Official Processes Or Because Of Your Unbelief Of The Reality Of Your Genuine Payment.

We Wish To Bring To You The Solution To This Problem.Right Now We Have Arranged Your Payment through Our Swift Card Payment Centers, Which Is the Latest Instruction from Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

This Card Center Will Send To You An ATM DEBIT Card Which You Will Use To Withdraw Your Money In Any ATM Machine In Any Part Of The World, So If You Like To Receive Your Fund In This Way, Please Let Us Know By Contacting Us Back And Also Send The

Following Information As Listed Below.

1. Your Full Name............................
2. Your Phone Number.........................
3. Home Address..............................
4. Mobile Phone Number..........................
5. Your Age........................
6. Your Current Occupation........................
7. State.................City.....................
8. Your country...................................

We have been mandated By the ECOWAS Parliament to Issue Out $6.2Million as Part Payment for This fiscal year 2014. Also For Your Information, You Have To Stop Any Further Communication With Any Other Person (S) Or Office(S) To Avoid Any Hitches In Receiving Your Payment.

Note: That Because Of Impostors, We Hereby Issued You Our Code Of Conduct, Which Is (ATM-110) So You Have To Indicate This Code When Contacting The Card Center By Using It As Your Subject.

Wait For Your Expedite Response.

Yours in Service,

Dr.Bankole Williams
International Settlement Dept.
EcoBank Plc-Cotonou Benin

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam