419 scam: UBA BANK PLC <fabianmalacalza@arnet.com.ar> From The Desk Of The Director

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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)
- "activation fee" (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. )
- "moneygram" (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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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. )
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "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.
MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: UBA BANK PLC <fabianmalacalza@arnet.com.ar>
Reply-To: <tomssmith122@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2017 05:50:05 +0200
Subject: From The Desk Of The Director

From The Desk Of The Director
Of The Transfer Department Unit
Money Gram Branch Head
Office Tema Cotonou Benin Republic

ATTENTION

I have sent you several notices concerning the claim of your benefit
that was paid to you as compensation from Benin Republic following my
petition against the Government as a human right activist to compensate
you with the sum of $4.500,000.00 USD But I have not heard from you
ever
since and I hope you will reply this last notice. You were meant to be
receiving $5,000.00 usd daily until it completes the correct amount of
$4.500,000.00USD you are to receive, here is your todayâ€™s daily
payments
also to let you know that the payment should be in 2 transaction with
the maximum of $5,000 usd dollars each that is according the law of
money gramâ€™ here in Benin Republic which meant you can not receive the
$5,000 usd dollars in one transaction for your own notice.

Here is the information to pick up your todayâ€™s transaction.

Money Transfer Control Number (M.T.C.N):: #:22999496012
Sender's First Name: Mark
Sender's Last Name: Ambros
MTCN:#94575379 (Track the MTCN by visiting
https://secure.moneygram.com/track)

The status now shows Available for pick up by receiver because this
amount has been on the system for security reasons, since I did not get
any reply message from you after sending you several notices with the
transaction details to enable you pick up your Reference number Now,
you
are strongly advised for the last time to go on to make the payment of
$49 usd for the activation of the payment release code via Money Gram
money transfer
immediately.

And send the payment details via email as it clearly appear on the
Money Gram slip because it is impossible and illegal to em-bed the
activation charges from the total funds transferred because of the
lawful restriction that has been placed on your funds that restricts
anyone from tempering with your funds.

This amount will be made available again within 20 minutes at your
resident local Money Gram office after you have settled the activation
fee and I will avail you with the full details of the first 2 REFERENCE
CONTROL NUMBERS of $5,000,00 usd.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
If your payment for the activation of payment release code fee is not
received after Four days this time around,
you risk forfeiting your benefit permanently.

Yours Sincerely,

Professor Doll Ikemson

Money Gram Transfer Unit Director/Human Right Activist
Money Gram Branch Head Office Tema Benin
E-MAIL:

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam