419 scam: "MR FEMI PHILIPS"<remit@ubabankplc.com> YOUR REPLY IS IMPORTANT

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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:
- "huge deposit" (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)
- "million us 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)
- "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.
- +2348028480895 (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.
- femiphilips741@officer.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR FEMI PHILIPS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <femiphilips1010@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 16 Oct 2010 11:15:25 +0200
Subject: YOUR REPLY IS IMPORTANT

FROM THE OFFICE OF
MR.FEMI PHILIPS
SENIOR BRANCH MANAGER
UNITED BANK OF AFRICA PLC.
119,ADEOLA ODEKU V/I
LAGOS NIGERIA
PHONE:(+234)8028480895
FAX: 00234-1-7595633,00234-1-8508345
ALT.EMAIL:femiphilips741@officer.com

DEAR RESPECTED FRIEND,

MY SPECIAL GREETINGS TO YOU AND THE REST OF YOUR FAMILY; MY NAME IS MR.FEMI PHILIPS, RECENTLY PROMOTED TO THE OFFICE OF A SENIOR BRANCH MANAGER WITH UNITED BANK OF AFRICA PLC. LATE ENGR.(WILBERT) A NATIONAL OF YOUR COUNTRY, WHO IS A CONTRACTOR WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS.

HEREIN AFTER SHALL BE REFERRED TO AS MY CLIENT HE DIED ON THE 7TH OF JULY 2005, TOGETHER WITH HIS HIS WIFE AND THEIR THREE CHILDREN WERE INVOLVED IN THE BOMB BLAST THAT OCCURRED IN LONDON( UK ) ON THAT DATE.

YOU CAN VIEW THESE WEBSITES BELOW FOR YOUR PERUSAL.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4673233.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/4662481.stm,

HIS WIFE AND THEIR THREE CHILDREN WERE INVOLVED IN THE BOMB BLAST WHEN THEY TRAVELED TO LONDON (UK) FOR PLEASURE AND ALL THE FAMILY DIED IN THIS BOMB BLAST ON 7TH JULY 2005. SINCE THEN, I HAVE MADE SEVERAL INQUIRIES TO YOUR EMBASSY TO LOCATE ANY OF MY CLIENT\\\'S EXTENDED RELATIONS, THIS HAS PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL.

AFTER THESE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS, I DECIDED TO TRACE THE LAST NAME OVER THE INTERNET TO LOCATE ANY MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY HENCE I CONTACTED YOU. I HAVE CONTACTED YOU TO ASSIST IN REPATRIATING THE MONEY AND PROPERTY LEFT BEHIND BY MY LATE CLIENT BEFORE THEY GET CONFISCATED OR DECLARED UNSERVICEABLE BY THE BANK WHERE THIS HUGE DEPOSIT WAS LODGED, PARTICULARLY THE UNITED BANK OF AFRICA PLC, WHERE THE DECEASED HAD AN ACCOUNT VALUED AT ABOUT (US$14.8 MILLION) HAS ISSUED ME A NOTICE TO PROVIDE THE NEXT OF KIN OR HAVE THE ACCOUNT CONFISCATED WITHIN THE NEXT TEN WORKING DAYS.

SINCE I HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING THE RELATIONS FOR OVER TWO YEARS, I SEEK YOUR CONSENT TO PRESENT YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OF THE DECEASED SINCE YOU HAVE THE SAME LAST NAME SO THAT THE PROCEEDS OF THIS ACCOUNT VALUED AT ($14.8 MILLION US DOLLARS) CAN BE PAID TO YOU AND THEN, YOU AND I CAN SHARE THE MONEY. 50% FOR YOU AND 50% TO ME AND ALL THE EXPENSES WILL BE SHARED EQUALLY.

ALL I REQUIRE OF YOU IS YOUR HONEST COOPERATION TO ENABLE US SEE THIS DEAL THROUGH. I GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER A LEGITIMATE ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL PROTECT YOU AND I FROM ANY BREACH OF THE LAW. REPLY MAIL TO :femiphilips741@officer.com

N.B

I SINCERELY RECOMMEND YOU SEND YOUR PHONE NUMBER WHEN RESPONDING TO ENABLE ME CALL AND GIVE YOU FURTHER EXPLANATION.

KINDEST REGARDS,

MR.FEMI PHILIPS.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam