419 scam: Union Bank of Nigeria <unionbank33557711@gmail.com> INVESTMENT LETTER PLEASE READ AND REPLY

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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:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "a security company " (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. )
- "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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- +447024042530 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- +2348069506920 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Union Bank of Nigeria <unionbank33557711@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2013 00:14:56 +0100
Subject: INVESTMENT LETTER PLEASE READ AND REPLY

Dear Sir/Madam

Here are the full details of the investment partnership request information
for your understanding.

We are family members of the Late President of Nigeria Alhaji Usman Yaradua
who died a few years ago.

I meet with concerned members of my family last Night and discussed about
one of the important issue bothering the family at present, on our search
for a reliable person who will assist the family on this particular issue,
we resolved and agreed to contact you and solicit your assistance having
come across your contact on our search on the internet on a crediable
person that can assist to investment the family fund on his name without
linking the family name to the project as the present administration is
trying to frozen the family account.

On this view, the entire family of late Alhaji Musa Yar Adua needs your
kind assistance on this particular issue, the issue is that I discovered
fund deposit documents of ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY Million US Dollars made by
my late brother with a security company for family investment and now he is
late, the present president of the Country intention is to liquidate some
of my late brothers assets alleged to be government diverted funds,
therefore putting unnecessary pressure to the family to declare assets,
though my family is delaying the declaration of assets until we change the
entire documentation relating to this particular deposit of ONE HUNDRED AND
EIGHTY Million US Dollars to your name as beneficiary,

On this arrangement, your response is needed urgently for more detail
information about the process and benefits, the entire document are
presently with me, upon receipt of your response to this message, I shall
instruct our family Lawyer to do change of ownership to your name and
copies of deposit document will be send to you with detail information for
claim and copy of the wife's International passport will be send to you for
identification along with subsequent investment advise, The certificate of
deposit of the fund would equally be sent to you including the attorney's
working id.

Conclusively, the family has resolved and agreed to compensate you with 20%
of the total amount for your assistance and will employ your service to
handle our investment in your Country as the CEO,

Please call our family lawyer Barrister WILLAM CLARK Phone +447024042530.
for more explanation

GO THROUGH ALL THESE WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6187249.stm
http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/newsflash/president-umaru-musa-yaradua-is-dead.html
http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5564878-146/umaru_yaradua_is_dead.csp
http://www.websitekraft.com/alhaji-umaru-musa-yaradua-dead-president-of-nigeria-13th-head-of-state/
http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/president-umaru-musa-yaradua-is-dead-us-president-obama-delivers-statement-2308384.html
Looking forward to your urgent response,

Alhaji Musa Yar'Adua
Tel.+2348069506920

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam