419 scam: Brian Wesley Shukan <irokooluwaseun007@gmail.com> $15.5m Fund

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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:
- "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. )
- "registration fee" (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. )
- "the 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)
- "trunk box" (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)
- "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)
- "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.
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.
- +22958156540 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- b.wesleyshukan@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Brian Wesley Shukan <irokooluwaseun007@gmail.com>
Reply-To: b.wesleyshukan@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2023 11:38:02 +0100
Subject: $15.5m Fund

Attention: Beneficiary,

I am Ambassador Brian Wesley Shukan,United States ambassador to the
Benin Republic. I shall be coming to your country for an official
meeting on Wednesday 12th, April 2023 and I shall be bringing your
Consignment Trunk Box containing $15.5m along with me as an Ambassador
to Benin Republic, i will not go through Customs or any government
agency. I am a US GOVERNMENT AGENT and I have the veto power to go
through Custom. As soon as I am through with my meeting, I shall then
proceed to your registered house address with your Consignment Trunk
Box.

Without missing words, I am convinced 100% that you have had bitter
experiences with various scammers claiming to be high government
officials and thereby defrauding you of your 'hard-earned money'. The
activities of these scam has changed your perspective about conducting
business on the internet, and you now believe there is no genuine
business that can be conducted on the internet. Well, I am an American
and the internet was created by Americans for the purpose of creating
awareness for your products/services and conducting genuine business
with ease. I am fully committed to deliver the "Consignment Trunk Box"
to you at your doorstep within 48hours in order to differentiate
myself from the many Benin Republic, Nigeria and other government
officials you have dealt with.

I am a full citizen of the United States, but I was on a Foreign
Mission here in Benin Republic as a US Ambassador. Hence, I am making
every effort to ensure that no citizen of the United States and other
parts of the world is cheated. Therefore, I need your utmost support
and understanding to actualize this dream. I also want you to
understand that I do trust you and I expect you to show me the same
trust and respect in return since trust is a 2-way street. On the
other hand, trust is a relationship of reliance. Trust also means
being able to predict what other people will do and what situations
will occur.

Trust is both an emotional and logical act. Emotionally, it is where
you expose your vulnerabilities to people, but believing they will not
take advantage of your openness. Logically, it is where you have
assessed the probabilities of gain and loss, calculating expected
utility based on hard performance data, and concluded that the person
in question will behave in a predictable manner. In practice, trust is
a bit of both. I trust you because I have experienced your
trustworthiness by merely believing in what I have said, even when you
have not seen me, and because I have faith in human nature.

Frankly speaking, I understand that anyone in your shoes will feel
betrayed, but I still want you to show me your trust by giving me the
benefit of doubt on this delivery arrangement. My identity and
personality is verifiable, and I promise to deliver the consignment to
you safely without any hitch. Your Consignment Trunk Box ($15.5m) must
be registered as an ambassadorial Luggage as planned to enable me pass
through Customs and other airport agencies freely without any
interception. Do not allow this mission to die off because of the
registration fees $175 US Dollars as the said fees will enable me to
arrive at your doorstep with your Consignment Luggage.

I will use my position and personality to deposit the Consignment Box
worth $15.5m USD into your bank account without questioning from the
financial monitoring authorities, since all documentation proving the
legitimacy of the funds has been processed. Please don't see me as one
of the numerous dubious people you have dealt with in the past. I am a
different person entirely and I come from a different continent. I
have the American spirit in me and I hate cheaters. I promise to
always uphold the national unity of the United States. Please reply
back ASAP and let me know your possibility of sending the $175 US
Dollars today.

You can send it via Money Gram Money Transfer with the below
information, please copy the name correctly outline below to avoid
mistake.

Account Officer Info: Money Gram Money Transfer only.

Receiver's Name:......EMMA KANU
Country:....... BENIN REPUBLIC
City:....... COTONOU
Amount:.......$175 Dollars

Note: My Flight is Wednesday 12th, April 2023 and i expect you to
comply before time so that the delivery will be completed as planned.
Kindly reconfirm your delivery address as stated below to enable me
keep my records:

Your Full Names:..
Home Address:.......
Telephone Number:.....
Nearest Airport:.......
Id Card if any:..........

I hope you will understand and follow my instructions to enable me to
serve you better.

Signed
Ambassador Brian Wesley Shukan
US AMBASSADOR TO BENIN REPUBLIC
Email: b.wesleyshukan@gmail.com
whatsapp Number: +229 58 15 65 40

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam