419 scam: "Opec Fund For International Development (Ofid)" <info@opec.org> OPEC Summit 2010

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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)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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.
- +447031816121 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
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.
- fastdelivery@post.com (Post; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Opec Fund For International Development (Ofid)" <info@opec.org>
Reply-To: fastdelivery@post.com
Date: Wed, 19 May 2010 11:56:49 +0100
Subject: OPEC Summit 2010

Opec Fund For International Development (Ofid)
Petroleum Global Fund Administrative Head Office.
Zone 5 Wembley Layout,
London.

Attn: The Secretary General! Abdalla Salem El-Badri: Opec Fund For
International Development.

Following The First OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)
Heads of State Summit in Algiers, Algeria in 1975, The Finance Ministers of
Member Countries Proposed The Creation Of a New Multilateral Financial
Facility To Channel OPEC Aid To Developed And Developing Countries.

The Fund, Which Was Originally Intended To Be A Temporary Facility, Started
Operations In August 1976 With An Initial Endowment of $800 Million and
Within Little Over A Year Its Resources Had Doubled. By The End Of 1977 It
Had Extended To 58 Developing Countries As Well As Channelling Donations From
Its Member Countries To Other Development Institutions Including The IMF
Trust Fund And The International Fund For Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The OPEC Fund Became A Fully Fledged, Permanent International Development
Agency In May 1980.

Today, We Bring To Your Notice The Results Of The 2009 Grant Global Donation
In The Opec's End Of Year Extraordinary Meeting Which Took Place In London,
United Kingdom, 1st May, 2010. And Your Email Address Was Selected Through A
Computer Ballot System.

We Are Happy To Inform You That Your Email Address Has Made You One Of The
World Ten (10) Beneficiary Of The Sum Of Five Hundred Thousand Great Britain
Pound Sterlings (£500,000.00). Opec Fund For International Development (Ofid)
Collects E-Mails Of People That Are Active On The Global Internet And
Selected Only Ten All Over The Continent Every Year Through Electronic
Balloting System Without Peoples Application Or Media Advertisement.

However, OPEC Had Registered and Paid All Financial Taxes Involving Your Won
Prize and This Office Had Registered Your Winning Cheque As Parcel Containing
A Confirm-able Bank Draft Of £500,000.00. You are Only Required To Pay For
Delivery Charges Which Will Be Requested By The Courier Company For Airway
Delivery Of Your Parcel To Your Residential Address.

Opec Fund For International Development (Ofid) Is Expected To Be Used By
Beneficiary For Human And Capacity Development Project Such As Education,
Business, Research Or Any Proposal That Will Positively Affect Beneficiaries
And Their Host Communities.

You Have To Contact The FedEx International Courier Service Manager With Your
Draft Identification Code: (Opec/Ofid/09788) For Proof Of Ownership Not Less
Than 3-Working Days For The Authorization And Prompt Delivery Of Your Draft.

Mailing Information:

Full Name:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Telephone:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Age:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Occupation:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Address:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sex:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Country:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Nationality:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Draft Identification Code (Very Important) ,,,,,,

Your Mailing Details As Shown Above Should Be Forwarded
To:
.................................................................................................................................................
Dr. Ruwanu Lukman
Manager, Air-Way Routine Dispatch Manager
FedEx International Courier Service,
Email:fastdelivery@post.com
Customers Care Line: [+44]-871-315-2924
Office Phone:+44 703 181 6121

...............................................................................................................................................
You Keep Your Draft Identification Code (Opec/Ofid/09788) From Any Other
Person To Avoid Double Claim And Disqualification. And You Can Call The Opec
Executives Any Time For Confirmation In Case Of Any Form Of Doubt
.................................................................................................................................................

Do Accept Our Hearty Congratulations:

OPEC Secretary General:
Abdalla Salem El-Badri
..................................................................................................................................................
A Brief History Of The Organization Of The Petroleum Exporting Countries
(Opec): The Organization Of The Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) Is A
Permanent, Intergovernmental Organization, Created At The Baghdad Conference
On September 10– 14, 1960, By Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia And Venezuela.
The Five Founding Members Were Later Joined By Nine Other Members: Qatar
(1961); Indonesia (1962) – Suspended Its Membership From January 2009;
Socialist Peoples Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (1962); United Arab Emirates (1967);
Algeria (1969); Nigeria (1971); Ecuador (1973) – Suspended Its Membership
>From December 1992-October 2007; Angola (2007) And Gabon (1975– 1994). Opec
Had Its Headquarters In Geneva, Switzerland, In The First Five Years Of Its
Existence. This Was Moved To Vienna, Austria, On September 1, 1965
................................................................................................................................................
© 2010 Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries

Anti-fraud resources:

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