419 scam: "Dr. JOHNSON WADOKA."<johnsonkwaki@yahoo.com> From : Dr. JOHNSON WADOKA.

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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:

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:
- "to your nominated bank account" (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)
- "million united states 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "transaction is risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2347026158028
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.
- uwadoka58@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. JOHNSON WADOKA." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <uwadoka58@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:03:45 -0800
Subject: From : Dr. JOHNSON WADOKA.

>From : Dr. JOHNSON WADOKA.
DIRECTOR GENERAL,
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT
ECOBANK, ( www.ecobank.com ).
Lagos, NIGERIA
( West Africa ).
Attn: My Friend,

I chose to reach you through this medium because it is the fastest and most reliable way of communication, as I wish to solicit for your urgent assistance in what I strongly believe will be of great benefit to both of us.

I am Dr. JOHNSON WADOKA, an Accounts Manager with ECOBANK, (www.ecobank.com) Republic of Nigeria. The issue I am presenting to you is a case of one of my late customer, a national of USA who died in a plane crash leaving an unclaimed treasury bills (Bonds) with my bank.

In 2003, my late customer invested in treasury bill bonds here in my Bank in Lagos,Nigeria totalling Twenty Eght Million United States Dollars ($28,500,000.00) which was due to be collected in 2005 with accrued dividends. On my yearly appraisal of my customers at the turn of every year, I discovered that this fixed deposit remained overdue for retrieval. I had put up series of mails and bank notifications to him which were sent Back uncollected. I later discovered that he passed on along with his wife and his relations in a tragic air crash in June 2003. You can click this link to confirm the death of our late customer.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/07/20/kenya.crash/index.html

Since his death in 2003, I have managed his account expecting any of his extended relatives to come forward to claim his money but all attempts to trace his relatives over the years has been fruitless since he did not declare any of his relative's information in his banking records with us. Added to this professional ethics obligates us to act with extreme confidentiality when dealing with clients accounts of this type.

According to the banking law, the money will be bequeathed to the government if it remains unclaimed with the next couple months.

However, I don't belong to that school of thought who proposes that the fortunes of unlucky people be given to the government and I am fully convinced that no one would turn up to execute the letter of Administration to claim his funds before the next 2 months. Hence, I decided to contact you to come in as the next of kin to my late customer so that the funds totalling $28,500,000.00 can then be transferred to your nominated bank account in your country within 20 working days after we have filed in your claims transfer application to the bank.

I will prepare every operation that will assist you to claim the funds as the next of kin and everything will be left between you and me. The Share would be 40% for you and 60% for me.

Again, I feel that you may be apprehensive and consider this amount too big for you to defend. It does not matter, as there are documents to back it up. This transaction is risk free and as the most senior account manager with the bank is rest assured that all documents to enable you get this fund as the next of kin will be carefully worked. Do not be bothered that you are not related in any way to my late customer as I am in position to affix your name as the next of kin.

Kindly send your reply enclosing;

Your Full Names......................
Mailing Address .....................
Phone Number ........................
Age..................................
Occupation...........................
I need to talk to you before I send you the certificate of deposit and other relevant information relating to this fund transfer.

I need not emphasize the confidentiality of this issue and I therefore appeal to you not discuss this request with anybody, even if you decline to take full advantage of this great and urgent opportunity in my bank.

I look forward to your quick reply to my private email address ( uwadoka58@yahoo.com )
Sincerely,
Dr. JOHNSON WADOKA.
DIRECTOR GENERA.
+234-7026158028.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam