419 scam: "Yusuf O. Ali" <webmaster@cibgh.org> Inquiry For Urgent Business Assistance

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "necessary legal documents" (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. )
- "huge deposit" (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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Yusuf O. Ali" <webmaster@cibgh.org>
Reply-To: yusufali99@qq.com
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2015 18:03:00 +0300
Subject: Inquiry For Urgent Business Assistance

Dear Friend.

I am Barr. Yusuf O.Ali a solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney to
Engr. Ralph N. Richard a national of United States of America, who used to
work with Shell - Development Company in Nigeria. Here in after
shall be referred to as my client.

On the April 16, 2011.my client, his wife and their three children were
involved in a car accident along Benin Republic express road. All
occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have
made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my client's
extended relatives.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last
name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I
contacted you.

I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left
behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared
unserviceable by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged.
Particularly, the bank where the deceased had an account valued at about
USD$22.850M has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the
account confiscated within the next ten official working days.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 4 years
now I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased
since you have the same last name so that the proceeds of this account
valued at US $28.850 Million can be paid to you and then you and me can
share the money. 60% to me and 40% to you I have all necessary legal
documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. All I require
is your honest cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through.

I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you from any breach of the law. Please get in touch with me
by my email and send to me your telephone and fax numbers to enable us
discuss further about this transaction.

Kindest regards,
Barr.Yusuf O.Ali.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam