419 scam: Sebastian Felix <diplomatic.unit.gh@gmail.com> -- Dear Friend, 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:

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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "huge sum of money" (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 next of kin scam.
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.
- sfelixsebastian@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Sebastian Felix <diplomatic.unit.gh@gmail.com>
Reply-To: sebastianfs1@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2015 22:12:54 +0100
Subject: -- Dear Friend, Reply Asap

--
Dear Friend,

I am Sebastian Felix, The head of auditing and accounting section of my
bank. With due respect and regards, I have decided to contact you on a
business transaction that will be beneficial to both of us at the end of
the transaction.

We had a foreign client from your country who deposited a huge sum of money
(USD$10.4Million) with our bank. Eventually, this client was among the
victims of car accident that crashed on the 31-10-2008, since then one has
come for claim or as the next of kin.

I have monitored closely with my position in the bank. Now, having
monitored this deposit over the years after her death, hence nobody has
showed up as the next of kin for the past three and half years, I have
moved the file to a private vault.

I now solicit for your assistance to present you as the next of kin, every
other arrangement has being concluded by me and I am only waiting for a
foreign partner to enable me move the fund to his or her account. There
are no risk attached because all the internal documentations will be
handled by me. I therefore request you to confirm your interest by a return
message and I will furnish you with details.

Your interest will be negotiable before we commence this project.

I look forward to hear from you soonest.

Contact me via my email: (sfelixsebastian@gmail.com).

Best Regards,
Sebastian Felix

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam