419 scam: "Morgan G.S. Osibodu"<moakuku@sify.com> Offer For Financial Transaction-Please Expedite Action

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "transaction is risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- +2347023166208 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- moakuku1_ubnplc@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Morgan G.S. Osibodu" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <moakuku1_ubnplc@sify.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2010 21:45:15 +0100
Subject: Offer For Financial Transaction-Please Expedite Action

Union Bank of Nigeria Plc,
Stallion Plaza, 15th-16th floors,
36 Marina, Lagos, Nigeria
Private Telephone: +234-702-316-6208
Private Email: moakuku1_ubnplc@sify.com

Dear Sir/Madam,

Iam contacting you in respect of our late customer, Mr. Mike D. Hodge. The former regional
contractor with Nospecto Oil and Gas Limited. He died in an auto crash on May 4th, 2006 with
his wife and two children. Before his death, he deposited the sum of US$12.5M (Twelve Million,
Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in his bank account with our bank. All my efforts
to locate his legitimate relations or next of kin since he died has been unsuccessful as he did not
mention any in all the documents he tendered to our bank.

As his account officer, I have been mandated by the management of the bank to present the
beneficiary next of kin to late Mr. Mike Hodge within fourteen (14) banking days or the fund
will be reverted to the treasury as unclaimed deposit. It is on the strength of this mandate that
I solicit for your permission by using your name as the beneficiary next of kin to late Mr. Hodge to
transfer this money into your bank account before the time elapses. I have all the legal documents
that can be used to back up this claim in your favour and protect you from any trace of the fund at
completion of the transaction.

You will be compensated with 30% of this fund for your assistance, 20% will be set aside for expenses
that may be incurred in the course of the transaction while you keep 50% safely for me. This transaction
is risk free, strictly private and must be treated with utmost confidentiality. Please contact me through
the above email address with your Name, Address and telephone number indicating your acceptance of
this offer. Further information regarding this transaction will be communicated to you on receipt of your
response.

Sincerely yours,
Morgan G.S. Osibodu
Head, Commercial Banking.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam