419 scam: "Hon. Dakuku"<admin@Winmail.com> Reply Asap

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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:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "economic and financial crimes commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "contract award committee" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "certified bank draft" (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. )
- "cogiwachmbers@ymail.com" (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.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Hon. Dakuku" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <cogiwachmbers@ymail.com>
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2013 02:59:03 +0330
Subject: Reply Asap

National Assembly Office
3 Arms Zones, P.M.B 241 Abuja
Nigeria .

Attention Beneficiary,

This is to bring to your notice that our office in collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on fight against scam, fraud and money laundering in our country, we have carried an investigation that confirms you as a beneficiary of $1.5million usd being an unclaimed payment that has been over due for release, in our findings, your name and email address was found in one of the files left with our legal department where it was stated you are yet unpaid but coincidentally, we have a counter claim from one Mrs. Sarah McDaniel who is claiming you are
incapacitated due to an accident and to authenticate her claims she has
sent this website below as evident of where you are involved in one of the
cars so that we can pay her instead of you, so ensure to see the site and
confirm if you have authorized her.

Website: http://www.car-accidents.com/ pages/car_accident_photo.html

but if you are not involved in any of the cars as shown in the pictures
and you have not authorized the woman then you are hereby advice to contact
Barr. Robert J Uzo whom we have signed and given a certified bank draft
totaling the said amount to pay whoever among you two that clarifies the
authenticity of claim.

Ensure to reconfirm your full name and contact details as you reach to our
legal officer.

Legal adviser: Barrister Robert J Uzo.
Email:cogiwachmbers@ymail.com

Yours faithfully,

Hon. Dakuku Bida
Chairman, Contract Award Committee on Petroleum Resources.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam