419 scam: "Mr benson"<shiraishi@art-system.jp> Very Important

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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:
- "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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- bensonesimobi@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr benson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bensonesimobi@foxmail.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2017 23:28:27 +0200
Subject: Very Important

I have sent you this message earlier, but your failure to respond has prompted me to re-sending it once again. It is about our late client who lost his life in an automobile accident along with his wife and only child.

I am contacting you in respect of his deposited fund valued at the sum of $6,200,000.00 in our bank,I need you to stand as his heir and inherit the funds.The Bank has threatened to seize his account if an heir is not directly specified,so i am therefore contacting you to stand as his heir, so that his deposited funds can be released and transferred to you. After the success of this transaction, we should share the total funds 50%/50% each, reply to my private email for more details if you are interested ( bensonesimobi@gmail.com )

Best Regards

Mr. Benson Esimobi

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam