419 scam: "Felix Dickson"<f.dickson@bba.org.uk> KINDLY RESPOND IMMEDIATELY

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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:
- "with absolute secrecy" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- +447024088705 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
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.
- auditor.fdickson@i12.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Felix Dickson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <auditorfdickson@i12.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 04:53:33 -0600
Subject: KINDLY RESPOND IMMEDIATELY

Email: auditor.fdickson@i12.com
Tel: +44 702 408 8705
Fax: +44 207 785 9263
Subject: Business Proposal
Date: February, 9th 2009.

Dear Esteemed Partner,

I apologize if the contents hereunder are contrary to your moral ethics, but, kindly treat it with absolute secrecy and personal courtesy. I am Felix Dickson. I am an Auditor in a commercial Bank here in London UK.
In the process of auditing Foreign Accounts for the quarter of the year, I recently discovered that there is a dormant account valued at the sum 7,394,890.00 (Seven Million, three hundred and ninety four thousand, eight hundred and ninety British Pounds Sterling) and after due verification of this account it was clear to me that the owner of the account is late, and that is why the account has been dormant and as such these funds are lying unclaimed in the bank.

The idea of presenting a foreigner to act as his next of kin came into my mind so as to have the funds willed and transferred to you as the next of kin to the deceased account owner and, I will provide legal papers to back your claim, thus, we shall both disburse the fund according to the percentage we will agree upon.
In view of this, I am seeking your co-operation and understanding to stand as the next of kin to the deceased customer to enable us claim the fund from my Bank.

If you are in agreement with this proposal and you do not wish to take undue advantage of my trust. Please kindly get back to me immediately, strictly via my private email address: auditor.fdickson@i12.com, so as for me to enlighten you on how we are to proceed.

I will appreciate if the details below are confirmed back to me in your next email in order for me to prepare the MOU, MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING that both of us will endorse in other for both parties to be protected.

FULL NAME:
CONTACT ADDRESS:
PHONE NUMBER(S):
SEX/AGE:
NATIONALITY:
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION:

On getting your response with the above details, we shall agree on the percentage ratio on how the funds shall be shared between both of us. Meanwhile, I intend to invest part of my own share in real estate in your country, and I would also appreciate if we can do real estate business together in your country.

Its rest assured that this business is 100% risk free.

I wait for your prompt response.

Best Regards,

Felix Dickson.
Chief Auditor.
London - United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 702 408 8705

NB: PLEASE NOTE THAT IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU ARE NOT RELATED TO OUR LATE CUSTOMER; THE FUND WILL STILL BE PAID TO YOU, SINCE I AM PRESENTING YOU AS HIS NEXT OF KIN.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam