419 scam: "Daniel Oduwa" <Danoduwa@officer.com> Dear Colleague//

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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:
- "million united state 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)
- "with absolute secrecy" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "cotonou" (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.
- dan44us@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Daniel Oduwa" <Danoduwa@officer.com>
Reply-To: dan44us@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2018 02:11:22 +0200
Subject: Dear Colleague//

Dear Colleague,

I appoligize if the contents of this letter are contrary to your moral ethics,but please treat with absolute secrecy and personal.I am Mr.Daniel Oduwa, a credit officer with a finance company here in Cotonou,Republic of Benin.
We lost a customer and his family in an auto crash here in Benin some years back and his account valued at US14,000,000,00 (Fourteen Million United State Dollars) with us has been dormant and unclaimed due to unavailability of next of kin/relatives to claim his funds.
In accordance with the es-cheat laws of Benin Republic,the Board of directors of the finance company meet a forth-night ago and resolved to turn the fund of the deceased over to the Government having waited for too long without the deceased relatives /next of kin surfacing.If this is done, invariably,the funds will end up becoming Government property.
It is against this backdrop that i am moved to contact you considering the fact that a known relative of him have not been located.
In view of this,I am seeking your co-operation and understanding to stand as the deceased next of kin to enable us claim this fund before the time period given by the finance company elapse.
If this proposal is ok by you and you do not wish to take undue advantage of the trust i hope to bestow on you,then kindly get back to me immediately to enable me enlighten you on how we are to proceed.
I will not contact any person or company until i hear from you so as to enable me decides on what to do next.
Be rest assured that it is a risk free project and the proceeding will be shared 50% each once the funds are claimed and transferred to your account.
I awaits your prompt response.
Regards,
Mr.Daniel Oduwa
Reply To my Private Email : dan44us@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

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