419 scam: "Ambassador Brian Wesley Shukan"<unitedstatesembassy@netvigator.com> SCAM VICTIM COMPENSATION $3M USD RELEASE

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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:
- "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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Ambassador Brian Wesley Shukan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <cotonouambassadeusastates.govv@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2023 11:23:10 -0700
Subject: SCAM VICTIM COMPENSATION $3M USD RELEASE

Hello Dear Beneficiary ,

I am Brian Wesley Shukan, the newly appointed United States Ambassador
to Benin. After successful tenure and service in Sudan, President Joe
Biden nominated me to be the next United States Ambassador to Benin
due to my committed effort to the service. After the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee held hearings on my nomination, I was confirmed
and sent to take over activities here in the U.S Embassy Cotonou,
Benin on May 5, 2022.

I am not happy with what I discovered here at the embassy. Upon my
resumption, I have noticed numerous unpaid scam victims compensation
funds belonging to several beneficiaries. The past administration of
the embassy did not do enough to disseminate these funds to the
rightful owners. I understand that this may be due to corruption in
the system which I stand against. I have personally swore to deliver
these funds to the beneficiaries with immediate

The United Nations in agreement with the United States ordered
Benin-Republic to pay a compensation amount of $3M USD to each scam
victim for what they suffered in the name of their country, but so
far, not a good number of people have been paid. A Lot of
beneficiaries have not gotten their payments and the authorities are
sitting on it. I have made it a point of duty to personally see to the
disbursement of these funds to the rightful owners and it's on this
note that I decided to contact you for the release of your
compensation funds to you.

Kindly re-confirm the following

1. Name:
2. Address:
3. Phone:
4. Occupation:
5. Age:
6. Country:
7: How much you lost to the impostors:

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours in Duty
Ambassador Brian Wesley Shukan
Newly appointed United States Ambassador to Benin

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam