419 scam: "JIM OVIA,"<jimjimovia001@gmail.com> PLEASE ARE YOU DEAD OR ALIVE ...?.

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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found 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.
- jim_ovia94@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "JIM OVIA," (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jim_ovia94@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:23:32 -0800
Subject: PLEASE ARE YOU DEAD OR ALIVE ...?.

FROM THE DESK OF MR JIM OVIA,

MANAGING DIRECTOR

ZENITH BANK PLC

WHY DID YOU LEFT YOUR MONEY IN OUR BANK FOR A LONG TIME NOW ,

ARE YOU DEAD OR ALIVE ?,WE RECIVED A PHONE CALL

FROM MR WILSON BUD, HE SAID THAT YOU SENT HIM TO COLLECT YOUR FUND

USD8.5 MILLION FROM OUR BANK,WE ASK HIM HIS PAYMENT CODE BUT HE FAIL TO GIVE IT

TO US, WE TELL HIM TO CONTACT US NEXT TOMMOROW WE NEED YOUR URGENT

RESPOUNDS,CONTACT US HERE IMMEDIATLLY AND RECIVE YOUR FUND ,

ALSO SEND TO US YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER, FOR COMMUNICATIONS.

NAME :MR JIM OVIA,.

EMAIL :jim_ovia94@yahoo.com.hk

THANKS

MR JIM OVIA,

MANAGING DIRECTOR

ZENITH BANK PLC

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam