419 scam: "Mustapha Abdullah" <mustaphabdullah@sify.com> Authority to act

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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:

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:
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mustapha Abdullah" <mustaphabdullah@sify.com>
Reply-To: mustaphabdullah@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 05:04:56 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Authority to act

Your Attention;

I am sorry for contacting you through this medium without a previous
notice. My name is Barrister Mustapha Abdullah, a Senior Advocate and
legal consultant in practice here in Malaysia, I had a client, a
contractor based here in Malaysia now deceased. My client lost his life
alongside his wife and only child in (Beirut-bound charter jet) plane
crash on the Monday, 9 January 2006, 12:12GMT.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4594104.stm Prior to the Death of
my Late Client,

He secured a contract of US$11,300,000.00 million from the Kingdom of
Bahrain, following which was successfully executed the contract, but the
balance of S$11,300,000.00 Million contract payment was in the Process of
being transferred into his Account which he submitted to the Bahrain
Government before he lost his life in the plane crash.

This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you
from any breach of the law.
Best Regards,
Barr.Mustapha Abdullah Esq.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam