419 scam: "Mr. Promise Barry" <infoo25@telemart25.base.pk> PLEASE OBSERVE UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY

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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "with your full names" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million 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)
- ",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)
- "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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "observe utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
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.
- promisebarry@consultant.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Promise Barry" <infoo25@telemart25.base.pk>
Reply-To: <promisebarry1950@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2016 15:37:41 -0800
Subject: PLEASE OBSERVE UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY

>From The Desk of Mr. Promise Barry
United Bank for Africa (UBA),
Lagos, Nigeria.

Attn:

I am so sorry to bulge on you like this without knowing you prior to this day but I employ you to please read this mail because it has immense financial benefits for the both of us. I am Mr. Promise Barry, the Bank Manager of United Bank for Africa PLC Lagos branch. I got your contact on my private search on the Internet and I listed your name among four other names and prayed over them and decided to contact you directly.

I have a very urgent and confidential business proposition for you and for our overall mutual interest. On December 6, 2007,an American oil consultant/contractor with the NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation), Mr. Philip Mark, made a numbered time (fixed ) deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at US$75,000,000.00(Seventy Five Million Dollars) in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarded address but got no reply. After a month we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers with NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) that Mr. Philip Mark, died in an automobile accident in Germany. On further investigation, I found out that Mr. Philip Mark, did not leave any WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin were fruitless. I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr.Philip, did not declare any Next of Kin in all his official documents, including his bank deposit paperwork with our bank.

This sum US$75,000,000.00 is still floating in the bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year.No one will come forward to claim it. According to Nigerian Laws, at the expiration of 10 (Ten) years, the money will automatically reverts to the ownership of the Nigerian government if nobody applies to claim the funds.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as a next of kin of Mr.Philip Mark. This is simple.

1) I will like you to provide me immediately with your full names and address so that an attorney will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits, which will put you as Next Of kin.
2) We shall employ the services of an attorney for drafting & notarization of the WILL and obtain the necessary documents and letter of probate/administration in your favor for the transfer.
3) A bank account in any part of the world, which you will provide to facilitate the transfer of this funds to you as the beneficiary. The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you, which we will both sign and agree to, by a Memorandum of Understanding (M.O.U) before we proceed with the transfer of the money to you.

There is no risk at all as the attorney will do the paperwork for this transaction and with my position as the branch manager guarantees the successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested, please reply immediately via this Email: promisebarry@consultant.com
Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand.

PLEASE OBSERVE UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY, and be rest assured that this would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your country.Awaiting your urgent reply via this email below, please save me the anxiety of endless
waiting.Remember to reply to:promisebarry@consultant.com

God bless you as you do.

Sincerely,

Mr. Promise

Anti-fraud resources:

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