419 scam: "DR PAUL MIRZA" <info@business.com> BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

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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:
- "million pounds" (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 british pounds" (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)
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- drpaulmirza@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "DR PAUL MIRZA" <info@business.com>
Reply-To: drpaulmirza@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2014 02:46:22 -0600
Subject: BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

Hello, dear!

My name is Dr. Paul Mirza , Operations / Regional Manager with a Bank
here in United Kingdom. During the annual audit of our bank, I discovered
abandoned / unclaimed funds, the sum total of which is (15 million
British pounds) in an account belonging to one of our foreign customer’s
.I found that he had no particular family or designated beneficiary on the
account, after going through his writings in our bank. I am sincerely and
consciously seeking to present you as the trustee to the deceased so that
the sum of 15 million pounds sterling will be converted to your custody
and we shall invest the fund in your country into a profitable business
venture that will yield profit and create employment to better the life of
people because i have no ideal of growing business in your country and
we shall share in a percentage ratio of 50% for me and 40% for you ,while
10% will be for all costs of the transaction After examination and
acceptance of this offer, please forward this information to me
immediately on my private e-mail address for more discussion:
drpaulmirza@yahoo.com
-Your full name:
-Your full contact address:
-Your mobile phone direct number:
Sincerely,
Dr.Paul Mirza
Email: drpaulmirza@yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam