419 scam: "Bello Hakeem Osagie"<prince_tj_211@yahoo.com> Urgently looking forward to your response.

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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
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.
- 234
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.
- drfrankdouglas@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Bello Hakeem Osagie" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <drfrankdouglas@sify.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 04:51:17 -0800
Subject: Urgently looking forward to your response.

From: Major General Oluyole Rotimi. (Rtd.)
Embassy of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria
3519 International Court, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Direct cell:2063397298.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Urgent Shipment of Your ATM/VISA MASTER CARD By Courier to your address.

This is to officially inform you that we have receive your loaded ATM Visa Master Card from our country Nigeria this morning through one of our defense attachee who arrived from Nigeria today, the VISA CARD is loaded with the sum of US$3.5Million based on the instructions on the CARD and bearing your name and address as the owner, i was mandated by the authorities in Nigeria to contact you via your email to intimate you that your VISA CARD is with us here in Nigerian Embassy in New York, United States for further delivery to your address as below which you have to reconfirm to us as well before the final delivery from here to your below address, the Presidency did this so that you should not bother yourself as per the shipment cost from Nigeria to United States here thereby saving you many associated cost.

Sequel to the above you are requested as a matter of urgency and based on the instructions on your ATM VISA MASTER CARD call the below officer in Nigeria who prepared and Loaded your Visa Master Card from the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company so that he will give you the Activations Pin Code Numbers which you will use when you want to withdrew from your VISA CARD because that is the instructions attached to the parcel we received for onward delivery to your address here in United States and as soon as he gives you the Activations Pin Code you write us immediately for the urgent delivery to your address here which you need to reconfirm to this Consul office, for your information and to avoid any form of FRAUD the Activations Pin Code Numbers which he will give you will cost you only the sum of US$380 ONLY(Three Hundred Eighty Dollars), take note of this to avoid anything because that is the official and only cost you will send to the gentleman in Nigeria when you !
open up communications with him, w

Name: Dr.Frank Doudglas
Tel: 234-.08-85150917
Email: drfrankdouglas@sify.com

Finally call him or write him immediately you receive this mail from our embassy here and tell him that we directed you to contact him for the activations of your ATM VISA/MASTER CARD which is with us here in our embassy here for your onward delivery to your nominated address latest by tomorrow when he must have given you the info for the usage of your Visa Card upon the receipt.

Urgently looking forward to your response after you must have received the activations details.

Sincerely.
Bello Hakeem Osagie.
Embassy Secretary, for the Ambassador

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam