419 scam: "Mr. Paul Abrutsi"<paulabrutsi@gmail.com> in regards to your contract/inheritance payment

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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:
- "account opening" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "paul.abrutsi@yahoo.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "paul.abrutsi@yahoo.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- +2348066154068 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Paul Abrutsi" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <paul.abrutsi@yahoo.cn>
Date: Sun, 15 May 2011 23:00:14 -0700
Subject: in regards to your contract/inheritance payment

FUND RELEASE/PAYMENT OFFICE
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR TELEX / COMPUTER DEPARTMENT
CABLE: E-BANKING CONTACT NUMBER: +234-806-615-4068 (24 HOURS)
PRIVATE EMAIL: paul.abrutsi@yahoo.cn
PRIORITY: URGENT

My name is Paul Abrutsi of the telex/computer department of United Bank for Africa (UBA). I am sending you this private email based on the confidential nature of the transaction and i ask that after you read the proposal there in and you do not have an interest, please delete this email and keep the details to yourself, as i am still in service and i would not like to lose my job.

First of all i would like to inform you that the Federal government and CBN has now handed overall payment processes and proceedings to UBA, therefore, you are to stop all forms of communication with whomever you had been dealing with immediately.
Furthermore, after proper verification of your files, it has come to my notice that you have almost fulfilled all the statutory requirements as regards your contract/inheritance payment. Your problem is interest groups. Due to the fact that your transaction was being handled by the public sector of the government, so many people had interest in your money and for this reason, these people facilitate paper works so as to slow you down and discourage you from receiving the funds and this explains why you receive several emails and phone calls from unknown persons all the time, hence you lose interest and abandon the transaction.

However, i wish to assure you that with my position here in the telex department, i can facilitate an online account for you in whom your funds would be put in and you can transfer and credit the funds to your nominated account within 72hours with any difficulty. (THE ONLINE ACCOUNT OPENING IS FREE).

Email me back with a positive response for further details and instructions on how to proceed.

Regards.

Paul Abrutsi .
Tel: +234-806-615-4068
Email: paul.abrutsi@yahoo.cn

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential, and may be subject to legal privilege, and are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.

If you have received this email in error or think you may have done so, you may not peruse, use, disseminate, distribute or copy this message. Please notify the sender immediately and delete the original e-mail from your system.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam