419 scam: "Patrick Wo"<kond@sbor.net> Pending Business Transaction.

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united states dollars" (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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
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.
- patrick.wo13@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Patrick Wo" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <patrick.wo13@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2011 04:28:17 +0100
Subject: Pending Business Transaction.

Dear Friend,

Compliment of the day to you my name is Patrick Wo Business Manager
Societe Generale Bank Hong Kong.

I am contacting you to seek your partnership in a pending business
project,which I have here in my hand and ready to be executed without
hitches,

I would give to you a more detailed explanation of this project which I
prefer to call a deal,if I get your positive response in agreeing to
partner with me since this business is 100% risk free because I have
all the modalities fashioned out to give this business an excellent outcome.

In an attempt to throw light on this business deal, a month ago a Bahrain
multinational company opted an overdraft from our bank,and it was over
invoiced with an amount of,Six Million United States Dollars,thus I seek
your partnership to enable me transfer this funds to your account for both
of us and,

I am open to negotiate your percentage so far you put in your utmost
attention,confidentiality and sincerity due to the nature of the business.

Please if you are interested do respond back to me via email
(patrick.wo13@hotmail.com) for further information.

Best Regards,
Patrick Wo

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam