419 scam: "Ecowas Finance Bank"<info@ecowas.com> Update Of ($10,400.000.00) USD Only

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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "diplomatic delivery"
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. )
- "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)
- "time is not on our side" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "diplomatic delivery" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "abuja" (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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Ecowas Finance Bank" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnsongeorge@cheerful.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2017 10:52:02 -0000
Subject: Update Of ($10,400.000.00) USD Only

Hello,

Am the director cash processing unit, Diamond Bank Plc/Central Bank the only bank appointed by the A.U. Members and I.M.F.

Because of the frauds going on in West Africa countries where some innocent beneficiaries were asked to pay in advance before receiving their money owed to them. The above Africa union held meeting in Ecowas Building Abuja Nigeria, and resolve to pay all beneficiaries in cash through means of bank to bank online wire transfer. We receive your files from international monetary fund (I.M.F.) as one of the beneficiaries.

Take note; Three thousand united state dollars (us$3,000) have been mapped out for the processing of your transfer documents and how it was spent will be detailed to you. Therefore, I want you to bear it in mind that your total funds will be no more ten million three thousand four hundred united state dollars ($10,003,400.00) USD but ten million four hundred united state dollars ($10,000,400.00) USD.

If anybody tells you that he is paying you in diplomatic delivery or consignment box both western union and money gram, do not listen to him or her because due to this frauds no international bank honors our remittance instruction any more, that is why we settled to pay in via bank to bank wire transfer.

We also received a security report that you paid the fraudsters who have been deceiving you, telling you that they are going to send this money to you. my Dear as a senior banker, controlling this cash payment now, I advise you not to waste your money by paying any body in advance again for delivery, and if you can follow my instruction, you will receive your money in three working days.

Your funds is in (FIXED DEPOSIT) right now and is ready to be transfer to any bank of your choice worldwide, I will send you all the backup documents for your transfer, and I will send you more mails to give you more information for you to know the genuineness of this transaction.

Therefore, do get back to me immediately as soon as you get this email because time is not on our side.

All the documents will be sent to you if I am assured that you have stopped further communication with those fraudsters.

Am waiting to hear from you soon.

Mr. Johnson George
Director cash processing unit
Diamond Bank Plc.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam