419 scam: "Mr. Phillipe Odinamba." <mrphilipeoa@ymcso.com> I am Mr. Philip Odinamba,

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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:
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united state 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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- mrphilipeoa@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Phillipe Odinamba." <mrphilipeoa@ymcso.com>
Reply-To: mrphiilipeoa@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:35:30 -0800 (PST)
Subject: I am Mr. Philip Odinamba,

I am Mr. Philip Odinamba,

Director Account Department
Citizen Bank Plc ci.
Abidjan - Côte d'Ivoire.
contact mrphilipeoa@yahoo.co.jp
Hellow Dear,
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND SECRECY.
I know that this mail will come to you as a surprise as we have never met before. I am the Account Director in charge of account department of Citizen Bank Plc Cote d'' Ivoire (Ivoire Coast), I Hoped that you will not expose or betray the trust and confident that I am about to confide in you for mutual benefits for our both families. I need your urgent assistance to claim and transfer the sum of Nine Million united state dollars ($9.000.000.00 Million USD)immediately to your account deposited by one of late customers for year. The fund has been dormant (in-active) for years in our Bank here without any body coming for it and now I want to make use of the great opportunity to enrich my heart desire by associating with you to claim the fund and have it transferred to your account.

l want to release the fund to you as the nearest person to our deceased customer, Mr. Andreas Schranner Md, German property magnate (the owner of the account) who died long side with his entire family and supposed next of kin in Plane Crash, CONCORDE AIRLINE [Flight AF4590 ]which crashed on Monday,25th July,2000, see the website below for your verification http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/859479.stm ) with the new financial law if the fund is not claimed by any one or by his family relations, the fund will mark as an abandoned fund and will go into our bank treasury or Govt treasury as an abandoned fund, so this is the reason why I decided to contact you to negociate with me to stand as the next of kin to the deceased and beneficiary of the funds so that my Bank will release the fund to you as the nearest
person.

Therefore, if you would be interested to handle this confidential project with me, I will be willing to give you more information of the transaction with an application form you will fill and send to the bank for the claims and transfer of the fund to your bank account. Also note that based on our agreement, we will share the percentage as 40% for you and while 60% for me and my family if you agree to help me execute this business while 5% is for any the expense we may incure during the transaction. Therefore, if you are interested in this proposal, kindly reply me back immediately and Please I wil like you to keep this proposal as a top secret or delete it if you are not interested at all. Thank YOU.
Looking forward to hear from you.
Best Regards,
Mr. Philip Odinamba.

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