419 scam: Tony Smith <stony5350@gmail.com> Good Day To You Sir / Madam

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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:
- "affidavit of claim" (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. )
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
- "departmentatmcard34@outlook.com" (this email address looks like addresses used in "ATM SWIFT card" scams)
- "departmentatmcard34@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "departmentatmcard34@outlook.com" (this email address looks like addresses used in "ATM SWIFT card" scams)
- "departmentatmcard34@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +22967590543 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Tony Smith <stony5350@gmail.com>
Reply-To: departmentatmcard34@outlook.com
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2021 11:14:45 +0100
Subject: Good Day To You Sir / Madam

The Release of your $6.500 000 00, Million U.S Dollars (including interest)

Please Pay Attention: Sir / Madam

This is an urgent notification payment update
Which will be a great help to you in receiving your unclaimed
Inheritance fund which you abandon with this Bank for long that has
Been approved in your favor for immediate payment, I saw a file last week in
Your name with all your information from our central computer stating
That abandoned fund worth of $6.500 000 00, Million U.S Dollars
(including interest) belongs to you.

After proper verification of your payment we discovered that the only
reason why you have not receive your funds since is because you have
not sign the original documents of your payment from our Federal High
Court of Benin Republic which is against our law to pay a person
without signing any Sworn Affidavit of Claim Ownership Certificate or
Authority to Remit agreement documents and fill the form from our
Federal High Court to proof that the money you are about to receive,
is well legitimate and confirmed from Government of Benin Republic.

and there is no way you will receive Millions of Dollars without
signing any original pepper works documents from (FHCT) Please stop
blaming Benin Government for not releasing your funds since because
you are the caused of your problem for not signing these original
documents. The people that have contacted you before did not know
anything about this your outstanding payment.

To forestall this, security for your funds was organized in the form
of your personal Identification number (PIN) ATM CARD and this will
enable only you to have direct Control over your funds in the ATM CARD
an irrevocable payment guarantee has been issued by the Presidency,
Federal Republic of Benin on your Payment. However, we are happy to
inform you that based on our recommendation/instructions, your
complete funds has bee credited in your favor through ATM VISA CARD.
You are therefore advice to contact the ATM Card payment center with
the following information as stated below: To ensure that we are
dolling with the rightful owner of this email address.

1. YOUR FULL NAME:
2. YOUR HOME ADDRESS:
3. YOUR AGE:
4. PHONES NUMBER:
5. YOUR COUNTRY:

Note: you are advice to furnish Mr. Georgi N. Stefan, with your
correct and valid details. Also be informed that the amount to be paid
now is ($6.500,000,00 usd, Six million Five Hundred Thousand United
States Dollars only including interest) through our Bank, UBA United
Bank For Africa Benin Republic Branch.

If however this Email address is not belong to you, kindly delete this
message from your mailbox, and pretend that we never contacted you,
because we shall continue our research until we get the owner of this
Email address, and it is not a Spam mail move it to your inbox in case
it went to Spam, contact him through this Email address
(departmentatmcard34@outlook.com) thanks for your understanding.

Mr. Georgi N. Stefan
Director ATM Department,
UBA Bank, United Bank For Africa Benin
E-mail: departmentatmcard34@outlook.com
Phone:+229-6759-0543.

Yours Faithfully.
Mr. Tony Smith
National Coordinator Foreign
Payment UBA Bank

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam