419 scam: "MR. WILLIAMS BEN"<yeli@ypi.edu.cn> DEAREST,BENEFICIARY.

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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:
- "western union" (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. )
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
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.
- +2347064258303 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
- +22965133376 (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.
- customsofficecanada@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <customsofficecanada@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2017 00:31:08 +0100
Subject: DEAREST,BENEFICIARY.

CENTRAL BANK OF BENIN REPUBLIC
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
ELECTRONICS/INTERNET BANKING DEPARTMENT
TINUBU SQUARE
COTONOU - BENIN REPUBLIC

DEAREST,BENEFICIARY.

MY NAME IS MR. WILLIAMS BEN I AM THE DIRECTOR OF ELECTRONICS AND INTERNET
BANKING DEPARTMENT OF CENTRAL BANK OF BENIN REPUBLIC. I AM SENDING THIS PRIVATE
EMAIL TO YOU BASED ON THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE TRANSACTION. PLEASE, I WILL
LIKE TO ADVICE IF AFTER READING THIS PROPOSAL YOU DO NOT ACCEPT IT, KINDLY KEEP
IT TO YOURSELF OR DELETE IT. AS AT THIS MOMENT, I AM STILL WORKING WITH THE
CENTRAL BANK OF BENIN REPUBLIC (CBN) AND I WILL NOT BY ANY MEANS LIKE TO LOSE
MY JOB.

I HAVE PUT IN OVER 15 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THIS BANK BUT UNFORTUNATELY HAVE
NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT. I THINK THIS IS MY GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO SECURE A
BRIGHT FUTURE FOR MY FAMILY AND CHILDREN SINCE MY GOVERNMENT HAS REFUSED TO
TAKE CARE OF ITS RESPONSIBILITIES. INFACT I AM SICK AND TIRED OF EVERYTHING IN
THIS COUNTRY. I HAVE DISCOVERED FROM MY INVESTIGATION THAT YOU ARE A FUND
BENEFICIARY WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA AND UNITED NATIONS AND THUS YOU HAVE
PAID EVERY FEE AND MET ALL THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS IN RESPECT OF YOUR FUND
PAYMENT BUT TILL THESE DAY YOU HAVE RECEIVED NOTHING. PLEASE BE EQUALLY ADVISED
THAT CENTRAL BANK OF BENIN REPUBLIC IS THE ONLY FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT CAN
PAY YOUR FUND TO YOU HENCE THERE IS NO OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN
AFRICA/WORLD THAT CAN HANDLE YOUR FUND PAYMENT/INHERITANCE FUND WITHOUT
INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE CENTRAL BANK OF BENIN REPUBLIC.

INVESTIGATION HAS REVEALED THAT YOUR PROBLEM IS THAT OF INTEREST GROUP THUS IT
HAS AFFECTED VIRTUALLY EVERY FINANCIAL AND SECURITY DEPARTMENT SUCH AS THE
UNITED NATIONS, WORLD BANK, IMF, EFCC, FBI, CIA, HOMELAND ETC. SEVERAL PEOPLE
ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR PAYMENT AND THAT EXPLAINS WHY YOU RECEIVE SEVERAL EMAILS
AND PHONE CALLS FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE EVERYDAY. NOTE THAT THEIR GAME PLAN IS TO
DEFRAUD AND FRUSTRATE YOU UNTIL YOU ABANDON YOUR FUND THEN THEY WILL BE
COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO TRANSFER YOUR FUNDS INTO THEIR OVERSEAS PARTNERS ACCOUNT.
THEIR AIMS AND TARGET IS NOT THE MONEY YOU ARE SENDING TO THEM BY WESTERN UNION
AND MONEY GRAM BUT TO FRUSTRATE YOU OUT OF RECEIVING YOUR FUND HENCE YOU HAVE
LOST TRUST AND CONFIDENCE ON EVERYBODY AND DON'T KNOW WHO TO BELIEVE OR TRUST
AS GENUINE OFFICER. I CAN SEE THAT YOU HAVE LOST HOPE AND INTEREST IN CLAIMING
YOUR FUND DUE TO SEVERAL FRAUDS COMMITTED AGAINST YOU. BUT I HAVE GOOD NEWS FOR
YOU IF ONLY YOU WILL COOPERATE WITH ME.

IF WE MUST SUCCEED IN THIS, THEN YOU MUST QUIT FROM COMMUNICATING WITH THOSE
IMPOSTORS IF NOT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SUCK YOUR FINANCE DRY AND STILL YOU WILL
END UP NOT RECEIVING YOUR FUND. BUT I HAVE GOOD NEWS FOR YOU BY MY POSITION AS
THE DIRECTOR OF ELECTRONICS AND INTERNET BANKING DEPARTMENT OF CENTRAL BANK OF
BENIN REPUBLIC I AM IN CHARGE OF ISSUING ATM VISA CARD AND CERTIFIED BANK
DRAFT. AFTER GOING THROUGH YOUR FILE, I HAVE DISCOVERED AN ACCRUED INTEREST
AMOUNT OF US$8.5 MILLION ON YOUR FUND. THIS ACCRUED INTEREST AMOUNT OF USUS$8.5
MILLION IS WHAT I INTEND TO PAY YOU SECRETLY BY WAY OF ISSUING YOU WITH A VISA
ATM CARD. BE INFORMED THAT I HAVE WITHDRAWN THE ACCRUED INTEREST AMOUNT OF
USUS$8.5 MILLION FROM THE DOMICILIARY ACCOUNT SET UP FOR YOUR PAYMENT AND
PROCESSED AND UPLOADED THE FUND INTO AN ATM CARD FOR ONWARD DISPATCH TO YOU. I
SPENT A TOTAL SUM OF US$2,550 TO PROCESS AND UPLOAD THE ACCRUED INTEREST SUM
INTO THE VISA ATM CARD FROM MY POCKET. PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT I HAVE PERFECTED
PLANS TO HAVE THIS VISA ATM CARD DELIVERED TO

I WISH TO ASSURE YOU THAT WITH MY POSITION HERE AS THE DIRECTOR OF ELECTRONICS
AND INTERNET BANKING DEPARTMENT OF CENTRAL BANK OF BENIN REPUBLIC I CAN
ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK WITHOUT DELAY AND WITHIN 3 DAYS I WILL DISPATCH THE VISA
ATM CARD TO YOUR ADDRESS. BUT YOU HAVE TO ASSURE ME THAT YOU WILL PAY FOR THE
DELIVERY OF THE VISA ATM CARD TO YOUR ADDRESS AND REWARD ME WITH THE SUM OF
US$250,000 AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THE VISA ATM CARD AND START MAKING
WITHDRAWALS FROM THE VISA ATM CARD. I AM NOT INTERESTED IN LONG STORIES OR
PROTOCOLS, BUT TO PAY YOU WITH THIS ACCRUED INTEREST AMOUNT OF US$8.5 MILLION.
SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING THIS ACCRUED INTEREST AMOUNT OF US$8.5
MILLION WHICH I HAVE LOADED INTO A VISA ATM CARD, KINDLY GET BACK TO ME
IMMEDIATELY WITH THE PAYMENT OF DELIVERY FEE OF US$180 BEING THE EMS SPEED POST
COURIER POSTAGE COST TO YOUR ADDRESS. SEND THE FEE DIRECTLY TO THE NAMES AS
BELOW. HOWEVER, I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO PAY THIS DELIVERY FEE OF US$180 BUT I HAVE
SPENT ALL MY SAVINGS ON THE PROCESSING AND UPLOADING OF THE ACCRUED INTEREST
SUM INTO THE VISA ATM CARD AND NOW I AM LEFT WITH NO OTHER MONEY HENCE I URGE
YOU TO PAY THE DELIVERY FEE AS IT IS THE ONLY FEE REQUIRED, PLEASE SEND THE
MONEY TO THE NAME AS FOLLOWS VIA MONEY GRAM.

SENDER'S NAME: PAUL EDE
ADDRESS: COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC
QUESTION: Be Honest
ANSWER: Truth
AMOUNT: US$180
MTCN.......

ONCE I RECEIVE THE MTCN FOR US$180 BEEN THE DELIVERY FEES I WILL PAY AND HAVE
YOUR VISA ATM CARD DISPATCHED TO YOU AND THEREAFTER I WILL FORWARD MY BANK
ACCOUNT DETAILS WHERE YOU WILL TRANSFER MY SHARE OF US$250,000 REWARD. PLEASE
IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN THIS TRANSACTION, KINDLY KEEP IT TO YOURSELF AND
DO NOT CONTACT ME. PLEASE CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AND WITH THE TRANSFER DETAILS OF
US$180 POSTAGE COST FOR THE EMS SPEED POST TO ENABLE THEM DELIVER YOUR VISA ATM
CARD TO YOUR ADDRESS.

REGARDS,
MR. WILLIAMS BEN
customsofficecanada@gmail.com
Office Line: +22965133376
Office Fax:+2347064258303

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