419 scam: =?UTF-8?Q?Dr=2e_Fortunate_Obi?= <fortunate@yahoo.com> =?UTF-8?Q?Urgent

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:

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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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)
- "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.
- fortunateobi82@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: =?UTF-8?Q?Dr=2e_Fortunate_Obi?= <fortunate@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: fortunateobi82@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 2016 18:41:19 +0000
Subject: =?UTF-8?Q?Urgent_Information=3cHH=3e?=

Dr. Fortunate Obi
Foreign Operations Office,
Union Bank Nigeria Plc.,
Head Office Stallion Plaza,
36 Marina, Lagos-Nigeria.

Dear Sir/Madam ,

I am Dr. Fortunate Obi,COMPANY SECRETARY & LEGAL ADVISER of Union Bank Plc. We are conducting a standard process investigation on behalf of our firm.

The international Banking conglomerate to reach either the relations or anyone wanting to stand as the next of kin to Late Mr.Walter a nationality of your country with and also the circumstances surrounding investments made by this client at FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.with the Private Banking arm of Union Bank Nigeria Plc.

This Private Banking client (Mr.Walter ) died intestate and nominated no successor in title over the money with the bank. I decided to trace his last name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. The amount is $16.5 million .

I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by this client before they get confiscated by the federal Government after being declared unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposits were lodged. As this is the federal government policy that any fund that is unserviced within four to five years will be returned to federal government purse as unclaimed fund.

It is pertinent that you inform me ASAP if you are interested and moreover, I seek a very honest and reliable person.You must appreciate that I have constrained from providing you with more detailed information. At this point, Please respond to this mail as soon as possible to afford us the opportunity to proceed to the formalities as soon as possible. fortunateobi82@gmail.com

Kind regards,
Dr. Fortunate Obi.

N.B: PLEASE REPLY TO THIS PRIVATE EMAIL:fortunateobi82@gmail.com BUT IF YOU KNOW YOU CAN NOT DO THIS, DON'T BOTHER REPLYING

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam