419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
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.
- +22968893545 (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.
- adnanzain042@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Adnan Zain" <"uba."@dolphin.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Mr.Adnan Zain" <adnanzain042@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2017 07:38:38 +0900 (JST)
Subject: You have to provide those information immediately for immediate
delivery.

Attention Dear.
Address : Carrefour des 3 banques, Avenue Jean Paul II 01 BP 2020 Cotonou, BENIN
Phone number : +229 - 68893545
Fax : +229 - 98 26 55 97
Email : adnanzain042@gmail.com
Country : Benin
Group Membership : UBA GROUP
Swift : COBBBJBJXXX

We were authorized by the President, Federal Republic of Benin and the Governing Board of Central Bank to investigate the unnecessary delay of your payment,to also

recommend and approve your claims for payment if the report of the unclaimed contract/inheritance funds is genuine. However, we discovered that your funds has been

unnecessarily delayed by corrupt officials of some banks.

We have agreed with the authority that we will handle this payment ourselves to avoid the hopeless situation created by those officials. Currently your

Inheritance/Contract fund of $7.5Million has been credited in ATM card.Contact Mr.Adnan Zain(UBA bank ATM director)with your details including ,
Your Full Name...................
Your Phone number...........
Your Home address............
Your Country And City......................
Your ID Copy...............................

You have to provide those information immediately for immediate delivery.

Contact Name: Mr.Adnan Zain
Email: adnanzain042@gmail.com
office line:+22968893545

Signed,
management of UBA Bank.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam