Cynthia Cooper

[Dotti]

Liar and scammer.

[email protected]

Name: Cynthia Cooper
Residence: Contonou, Benin Republic
Nationality: Russian
Occupation: Hair Stylist
DOB: July 13, 1979 ~ 30 years old
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 125 lbs
Hair: Blonde

Claims to be Russian-born, moved to US as a baby. At age of 12, mom joined peace corps and relocated to Benin. Claims to have gone to cosmetology school in Russia and then moved back to Benin. Tells sob stories about life in Benin, including how "she" can't go out after dark due to crime. Uses religion throughout scam.

[Dotti]

This scammer will claim "she" wants to visit you, and will introduce you to a "travel agent" that is arranging for a visa. Note that this exact same travel agent format is used in other scams with different email addresses and different fees. Also note that there is no such thing as a "validated international passport."

Dear XXX

We are I. A. T. A certified, member of NARBTA (National Association of Republic of Benin Travel Agency) and registered with RBTDC (Republic of Benin Tourism Development Corporation). We at K Travels and Tours Limited are professionals and Specialist in Aviation Security with over ten years cognate experience having trained by different agencies including International Security Defense Systems[ISDS USA],Aviation Defense International[ADIUK],Initial Security[UK], Avscan[South Africa] ,International Civil Aviation Organisation[S..T.P FAAN], British Deputy High Commission[BDHC], American Embassy, Berlin, US special diplomat consult in Moscow Russia, from passport check,visa procurment and travelling documents to passenger screening which includes electronic hold and and hand luggage checks.

SERVICES
Our Services includes:
Airline ticketing/Reservation.
Aviation Security Consultants:
passenger's screening
Ticket procurement
passport security control
Baggage check
Aircraft security
Visa procurment/Counselling
Tourism
Protocol Services
Cargo Handling
Holiday School Camping
Car Hire Services
School Exchange Programme
Airline ticketing/Reservation

K Travels and Tours have competent and experienced staffs and professionals that are always ready to give you their best. We at K Travels and Tours Ltd, wants to teach travellers how they can be comfortable with the services we render and the ticket they buy for their journey. We want to ensure that tickets sold to people guarantees them an uninterrupted traveling to their various destinations. We also want to bring our experience to bear in security, passport and visa checking. We intend to expand our business frontier upto your door step "Home service".. We engage in summer school camping and proper visa procurement.

We intend reaching the rural areas with an unbeatable excellent services. So much emphaises on tourism. Hence, we encourage exchange programme. (Tourist camping)...

Excellence is our watch word, Just call or email and we will deliver.
Thanks for your patronage.


Best regards,


Mr. Kenneth Duru
Principal Consultant.
Republic of Benin Office
Misseboh rough- Cotonou,
Republic of Benin
Tel:299-380-7711
E-mail: [email protected]

NB.
This e-mail has reached you because Miss Cynthia Cooper instructed our office to contact you. All other correspondence should be the forwarded to the customer service department at your registered Republic of Benin office. For reference sake, find contact above .

cid:[email protected]


GOODDAY MR.

THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT MISS CYNTHIA COOPER WAS IN OUR OFFICE TODAY THE 25TH OF FEBRUARY , 2010 . SHE IS INTERESTED IN US (K TRAVELS AND TOURS) HELPING HER WITH ALL HER TRAVELLING ARRANGEMENT TO THE USA . SHE HAS ALSO MADE A PAYMENT TO OUR OFFICE THIS MORNING, SHE PAID THE SUM OF $350.00 BUT WE WILL BE NEEDING TO PAY UP HER BALANCE FOR THE MEDICAL EXAMINATION THAT WILL BE CARRIED OUT LATER TODAY.

WE HAVE EXPLAINED TO MISS CYNTHIA THE PROCEEDURES AND CHARGES FOR OUR SERVICES. WE SPECIALIZE IN PASSPORT AND VISA PROCUREMENT TO ANY PART OF THE WORLD, BUT IN MISS CYNTHIA COOPER'S CASE , SHE WILL BE NEEDING A VALIDATED INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT , A VISA AND HEALTH INSURANCE AND MEDICAL EXAMINATION TO THE USA BEFORE PROCURING HER FLIGHT TICKET TO THE USA . IT TAKES US 10 - 21 WORKING DAYS TO PROCURE A PASSPORT AND VISA TO THE USA THROUGH THE AMERICAN CONSULATE HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC - WEST AFRICA , AFTER PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE TRAVELLING AGENCY AND OUR CHARGES ARE MODERATE.
WE CHARGE;
1)BENIN INTERNATIONAL PASPSORT ....... $150USD
2)VISA PROCUREMENT / PROCESSING .......................................... $250USD
3)HEALTH /INSURANCE ....... $57.25USD (4) MEDICAL EXAMINATION ..............$100USD

FROM THE ABOVE CALCULATIONS, THE TOTAL IS $557.25, SHE HAS PAID THE SUM $350.00, HER BALANCE WILL BE REMAINING $207.25, BUT WE HAVE ALSO GONE AHEAD TO CARRY OUT HER MEDICAL BECUASE SHE HAS PROMISED TO PAY THE BALANCE ON HER NEXT APPIONTMENT DATE TO OUR OFFICE.

WE ALSO HELP IN THE PROCUREMENT OF TICKETS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO THEIR DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS .WE HAVE OPENED A FILE FOR MISS CYNTHIA COOPER WITH THE FILE NUMBER CP/55744/C AND WITH THIS FILE, WE WILL FOLLOW UP ALL HER TRAVELLING ARRANGEMENTS.

WE WILL NEED YOU TO SEND ACROSS TO OUR OFFICE VIA EMAIL YOUR DETAIL INFORMATION AND AN OFFICIAL NOTE STATING THAT YOU WILL BE SPONSORING MISS CYNTHIA COOPER TO THE USA. THE DETAIL INFORMATION SHOULD CONTAIN;
1..YOUR NAME
2.ADDRESS
3.AGE
4.TELEPHONE NUMBER
5.OCCUPATION


WE WILL NEED THIS INFORMATION TO ATTACH TO HER FILE WHEN APPLYING FOR HER VISA. WE AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE AND PAYMENT FOR HER PASSPORT AND VISA FROM MISS CYNTHIA COOPER, SO THAT WE CAN FORGE AHEAD WITH THE NECESSARY PROCEEDINGS.
THANKS FOR YOUR PATRONAGE, EXCELLENCE IS OUR WATCH WORD.

BEST REGARDS,
MR. KENNETH DURU
PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT.
REPUBLIC OF BENIN OFFICE
MISSEBOH -COTONOU
TEL: +299-380-7711
E-MAIL: [email protected] .

On 2/25/10, victim wrote:

Dear Mr. Kenneth Duru,

I am sending you these pictures to confirm that the Cynthia Cooper we are talking about is the same person!

Scammer response:

TO YOUR NOTICE THAT I HAVE RECIEVED THE INFORMATION REQUIRED OF YOU, AND WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO RECIEVE IT AS IT WILL HELP US IN THE COURSE OF DISCHARGING OUR DUTIES AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH OUR SERVICES.

YOU ARE CORRECT WITH THE PICTURES MISS CYNTHIA COOPER, SHE IS THE SAME PERSON.


THANKS FOR YOUR PATRONAGE, EXCELLENCE IS OUR WATCH WORD.

BEST REGARDS,
MR. KENNETH DURU
PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT.
REPUBLIC OF BENIN OFFICE
MISSEBOH -COTONOU
TEL: +299-380-7711
E-MAIL: [email protected] .

A friend of the victim contacted the (real) Benin Consulate inquiring about the scammer. This is the response:

I am sorry to say you have been taken in by a common scam we see. You are not the first, and you will not be the last. There is no such travel agency as is mentioned in this letter. Their phone number is not even for Benin, for which the prefix is 229 not 299, and Beninese local phone numbers are eight digits, not seven. The total cost of a US visa if someone is a Beninese is $131, with no need for extra processing fees or medical examinations. All this information is available at http://travel.state.gov.

Please do not send any more money to or have any further contact with these people. There is no good ending to this.

Richard C. Kolker
Vice Consul
U.S. Embassy Cotonou
Benin

Consulate address:
Consular Officer: Richard Kolker, Vice-Consul
01 B.P. 2012, Cotonou - Benin.
Tel: (229) 21 30 06 50
Fax: (229) 21 30 66 82
Email: [email protected]