419 scam: "OPEC (OFID)" <info@aim.com> RE: Beneficiary of $2.5 Million USD

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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:
- ",000,000" (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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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.
- kowaskipaul@163.com (163; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "OPEC (OFID)" <info@aim.com>
Reply-To: kowaskipaul@163.com
Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2015 11:39:49 -0600
Subject: RE: Beneficiary of $2.5 Million USD

OPEC Foreign Processing Department
OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID)
Martin Street, Birstall, Batley
West Yorkshire, W17 9PJ - UK.

We wish to to notify you of the OFID first quater balloting final result. Your email ID emerge in our 2rd category as a winner for a cash prize of $2,500,000.00 (Two Million and Five hundred thousand Dollars). This is from 21 winners from email list of 10,000,000 individuals, coperate and private organisations, NGO's and public sectors selected globally in this caterory.

The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) is a foundation owned by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). This foundation is funded by member nations which include: Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.

OFID is a development organization aimed at improving lives across the world. This program tagged "Grass root Program" is part of efforts to improve international housing problems, support the research for the eradication of Ebola Virus and improve standard of living through direct participation in community development across several communities all over the world by empowering selected individuals as an engine for economic growth and social development.

OFID Fund Aims At:

1. Promoting cooperation between OPEC Fund Member States and other developed and developing countries as an expression of solidarity with other nations of the world.

2. Helping particularly the, low-income earners in pursuit of their social and economic advancement.

3. Promoting equitable distribution of wealth. This grant is designed into various categories; every member country is entitled to remit funds to two winners of this grant, with each winner entitled to $500,000.00 USD in this year's Program.

Your file has been open for data verification, claim processing, validation and approval for remittance. Your TICKET number OFPD-03/786/14-UK falls among the set of beneficiaries that will be documented at the United Kingdom

OPEC Foreign Remittance office, this is where you will be documented. You are to urgently contact the Director of claims department on or before 20th day of FEBRUARY 2015 for your claim. Please bear in mind that any late claim processing will note be entertained as the grant will be return as unclaimed grant.

* Provide us with the below details for data verification and documentation purpose and to ensure conformity with our records*

1) Full Names:=========================================
2) Residential Address: ===================================
3) Ticket Number: =======================================
3) Country of Origin: =====================================
4) Nationality: ==========================================
5) Other Mobile Phone Numbers: =============================
6) Occupation: ==========================================
7) Next of Kin: =========================================

You are to urgently respond to this email with the above required to enable swift commencement of your grant processing. Meanwhile, you are to keep your winning information from the puclic as undue and double claiming
will not be entertained by any unscropulous individual.

Congratulations from the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID). Please contact your assigned processing officer Dir. Paul Kowaski via email ( kowaskipaul@163.com ) as soon as possible to enable immediate commencement of your grant processing.

NOTE: Children below 18 years of age are automatically disqualified and means not elligible for this grant. PLEASE REMEMBER TO QUOTE YOUR TICKET NUMBER AT ANY CORRESPONDENCE.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs. Ikhlass Al-Sheikhly
Head of Grants Unit, OFID
The OPEC Fund for International Development
Foreign Processing Department

Anti-fraud resources:

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