419 scam: "DR IHEME OGECHI MARTINS" <ogemartins003@gmail.com> DEAREST

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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:
- "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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "this business is hitch free " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "DR IHEME OGECHI MARTINS" <ogemartins003@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ogemartins@mail.mn
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 2010 18:47:25 +0300 (EEST)
Subject: DEAREST

DEAREST,

MY NAME IS DR. IHEME OGECHI MARTINS, PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT ALLIED AND BOND BANK.

I AM WRITING IN RESPECT OF A FOREIGN CUSTOMER OF MY BANK (WILLIAM BARNES,
OF AMERICA) WHO PERISHED IN THE PLANE CRASH OF 31 OCTOBER 1999[WITH
EGYPTIAN AIRLINE 990] WITH OTHER PASSENGERS ABOARD AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE
WEBSITE BELOW : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/world/americas/502503.stm

SIR, SINCE THE DEMISE OF WILLIAM BARNES, I PERSONALLY HAVE WATCHED WITH
KEEN INTEREST TO SEE THE NEXT OF KIN BUT ALL HAS PROVED ABORTIVE AS NO ONE
HAS COME TO CLAIM HIS FUNDS OF US$30,000,000 [THIRTY MILLION UNITED STATES
DOLLARS]HAS BEEN WITH OUR BANK HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

ON THIS NOTE I DECIDED TO SEEK FOR WHOM HIS NAME SHALL BE USED AS THE NEXT
OF KIN, AS NO ONE HAS COME UP TO PUT CLAIM AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THIS
FUNDS AND THE BANKING ETHICS HERE DOES NOT ALLOW SUCH MONEY TO STAY MORE
THAN 11YEARS, BECAUSE AFTER 11YEARS THE MONEY WILL BE CALLED BACK TO THE
BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED BILL.

IN VIEW OF THIS I GOT YOUR CONTACT THROUGH MY COUNTRY'S FOREIGN TRADE
MISSION AFTER I WAS CONVINCED IN MY MIND THAT YOUR NAME/COMPANY COULD BE
USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THIS CLAIM. THE REQUEST OF THE FOREIGNER AS A
NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER
WAS A FOREIGNER AND A NIGERIAN CANNOT STAND AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO A
FOREIGNER.

I AGREED THAT 30% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS A FOREIGN PARTNER IN
RESPECT OF PROVIDING AN ACCOUNT WHILE 10% WILL TAKE OF ANY EXPENSES THAT
MIGHT BE INCURRED IN THE PROCESS OF SUCCEEDING THE TRANSFER AND THE REST
WILL BE FOR ME. THEREAFTER I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT AS I
AM ALMOST DUE FOR RETIREMENT.

UPON THE RECEIPT OF YOUR ACCEPTANCE, I WILL SEND YOU BY FAX OR E-MAIL A
DRAFT APPLICATION OF CLAIM WHICH YOU WILL SEND TO THE BANK AS THE NEXT OF
KIN AND THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE.

I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS BUSINESS IS HITCH FREE
AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR AS THE WHOLE REQUIRED
ARRANGEMENT HAS BEEN PERFECTED FOR THE TRANSFER. PLEASE REPLY URGENTLY

HOPING TO HEAR FROM YOU.

REGARDS,
IHEME OGECHI MARTINS

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam