419 scam: "from Dr. George C Attah" <info@lee.org> TREAT AS VERY URGENT MATTER

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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:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
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.
- dr.georgecattah2888@onet.pl (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "from Dr. George C Attah" <info@lee.org>
Reply-To: dr.georgecattah2888@onet.pl
Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2018 17:11:03 +0100
Subject: TREAT AS VERY URGENT MATTER

Attn ; Sir/ Madam

I am Dr. George C Attah, the Executive Director, Operations and
Information Technology, of Diamond bank Nigeria Plc, a well-known bank
in Nigeria.One of our accounts with a holding balance of $35.7 Million
USD (United State Dollars) has been dormant and has not been operated
for the past six years.

From my investigations and confirmations, the owner of this account,a
foreigner died in August 2004 in a auto accident and since then nobody
has done anything as regards the claiming of this money because he has
no family members who are aware of the existence the
account nor the funds.

Also Information from the National Immigration stated that he was also
single on entry into Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I have secretly discussed this matter with some of the bank officials
and we agreed to find a reliable foreign partner to deal with. We thus
propose to do business with you, standing in as the next of kin of the
deceased, for the funds to be released to you after due processes have
been followed.

This transaction is totally risk and trouble free as the fund is
legitimate and does not originate from drugs, money laundering, terrorism
or any other illegal act.

The sharing of the fund between us, is as follows; 50% of the total
sum will go to you for your effort and commitment to the success of this
transaction. 50% for me and my colleague's.

As soon as i receive an acknowledge of the receipt of this message in
Acceptance, i will immediately start up with the processing of the document
of claims.

Best Regards.
Dr. George C Attah
Executive Director
Document of Claims
Operations/Information Technology
Diamond bank Nigeria Plc
Email; dr.georgecattah2888@onet.pl

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam