419 scam: "Austin Nwofia" <postmaster@52tt.com> RE: CHANGE OF ACCOUNT ON YOUR CONTRACT!!!

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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:
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "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.
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.
- financelegaldept09@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Austin Nwofia" <postmaster@52tt.com>
Reply-To: financelegaldept09@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2023 22:49:52 -0700
Subject: RE: CHANGE OF ACCOUNT ON YOUR CONTRACT!!!

Federal Secretariat Complex,
4th Floor, Shehu Shagari Way,
Garki, Central, Abuja- Nigeria.
Date. 17/03/2023

Dear Beneficiary,

RE: CHANGE OF ACCOUNT ON YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE PAYMENT FILE.

I am Austin Nwofia from Legal Department of the Finance Ministerâ€™s Office, recently a counter claims request on your fund payment was submitted by one Mr. John Brown, who is trying to make us believe that you have been infected with COVID-19 pandemic presently under quarantine and he explained that you entered into an agreement with him to help you receive your fund on your behalf.

Also I had received a sworn affidavit from Mr. John Brown of Germany to re-route your payment into a new bank account number as stated below.

VACAP Federal Credit Union,
1700 Robin Hood
Road, Richmond, VA 23220.
Account number 3250198015.
Beneficiary: Mr. John Brown.

We shall proceed to issue all payments details to the said Mr. John Brown, if we do not hear from you as soon as possible.

However, you are advice to reply us immediately and confirm if Mr. John Brown is really from you or not, we have taken full control of the situation to verify all contracts/inheritance fund claims in conjunction with the United Nations monitoring unit.

If you are the beneficiary, please send your full Name and Address, Country, Scan a copy of any of your identification, Driverâ€™s Lance or International Passport, your Direct Telephone Number and the total amount of your fund so that we can the processing of the documents,
as soon as your account is activated your fund will be transferred.

Waiting to hear from you

Best Regards
Austin Nwofia
Finance Ministerâ€™s Office
(financelegaldept09@gmail.com)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam