419 scam: "Mr. James Dobia" <james_dobia@yahoo.co.jp> My Dear Friend, Please reply urgent.

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million british pounds" (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 email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. James Dobia" <james_dobia@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: james_dobia@hotmail.com
Date: Sat, 17 Jul 2010 00:52:34 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: My Dear Friend, Please reply urgent.

My Dear Friend,

Firstly, I apologize for sending you this sensitive information via e-mail instead of a certified post-mail. Well my name is Mr. James Dobia, a private lawyer based here in London, United Kingdom. I did a lot of web search before choosing your contact from your country's website and business online register. It is with trust and sincerity that I approach you for assistance in a business project. Please do accept my apology if my mail infringes on your personal ethics and honestly it will be my humble pleasure if we can work together.

I would like you to act as an executor to my deceased client who made a deposit of (£6m GBP) Six Million British Pounds only with a Finance House here in London a few years back. He died in an auto crash with his wife and only child without any registered next of kin and as such the funds now have an open beneficiary mandate with a Finance House here.

The Finance House issued me a mandate as the financial adviser to the deceased to provide the relative as the executor of the available funds. So therefore, I seek your concept to present you as the executor/next of kin to the deceased since you are at an advantage, coming from the same country so that the proceeds of the deposit funds valued at Six Million British Pounds only can be paid to you. We shall both share the funds amicably.

If you are interested and sincere we can proceed further with this transaction which is hundred percent risk free, please do let me know immediately so that I can give you comprehensive details on how to proceed.

Thank you and God bless,

Mr. James Dobia,
London, United Kingdom.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam