419 scam: "MR.EBUKA NWABUFO" <"33."@juno.ocn.ne.jp> ATTENTION DEAR.

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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:
- "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. )
- "the consignment" (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)
- "trunk box" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "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.
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.
- +22968313688 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR.EBUKA NWABUFO" <"33."@juno.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "MR.EBUKA NWABUFO" <ebukawwabufo@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2017 18:45:04 +0900 (JST)
Subject: ATTENTION DEAR.

ATTENTION DEAR.

This is to inform you officially that we have verified your payment file
and found out the reason you have not received your payment of
$2,700.000.00 USD is because you have not fulfilled the obligations
authorization office given to you in respect of your funds permit files.
Secondly, we have been informed that you are still dealing with the none
officials in the bank and all your attempts to secure the release of your
fund are still in vain.

We wish to advise you that such an illegal act has to stop if you wish to
receive your payment ($2,700.000.00 USD) since we have decided to bring a
solution to your problems in receiving the funds. This idea is the latest
instruction given to this UBA BANK by the Federal Ministry of Finance and
Economy. The ball is now in your court as I have been advised to allow you
choose the way the fund can be getting to you which will be easy for you
and stress free which are as follows:

1) First Option, Do you authorize the UBA bank to continue in the Swift
wire transfer process, if you choose that, You will be needed to come down
here to sign your original hard copies and if you will not be unable to
come down, I can dispatch the documents to your doorstep through a
certified DHL courier company which will cost $99 usd only and that is the
last payment required and noon dare to ask you for another fee again.

2) Second Option, Can the fund be sent to you through diplomatic process?
There letting the fund into a trunk box as a consignment which will be
declared as a family treasure in other for the customs not to intervene
into the consignment box which will be sent to your doorstep by the
diplomatic means which will cost $160 only and that is the last payment
required.

3) Third Option, We can also package the funds into an ATM card or a
Certified bank CHECK and deliver it to your doorstep and this will cost
you $150 usd only and that is the last payment required.

Here is the information to send the option required charges of the option
you have chosen through the Money Gram or Western Union below: You are to
send it directly to the UBA bank cashier (CHIDI EKE) for the easier
receive of the payment and immediate action on the release of your fund to
you.

RECEIVERS NAME: CHIDI EKE
COUNTRY ...BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY .... COTONOU .
SENDER'S NAME...
MTCN NUMBER.......

Once again, you have to stop henceforth your further communication with any
other person or office regarding this transaction, this is to avoid any
hitch or delay in finalizing your payment, You are to reply back with the
following information as urgent as possible with the option you chose.

1. Your full name:
2. Phone and fax number:
3. Address:
4. Your age and current occupation:
5. A copy of your identity

The ATM CARD processing or by online banking information will be forwarded
to you upon the receipt of your response for the urgent online transfer.
Also note that because of impostors, we hereby issue you our code of
conduct, which is (UBA) -991 you must have to indicate this code while
replying back.

Yours sincerely

BEST REGARDS,
MR.EBUKA NWABUFO
Director Foreign Remittance Department
United Bank for Africa (UBA) Bank Benin Plc
+229-68313688

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam