419 scam: "Paul Bassey" <maryjonesxx@in.com> I Am Bassey

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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:
- "foreign exchange" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "sani abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- mmaryjjoness@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Paul Bassey" <maryjonesxx@in.com>
Reply-To: paulbassey1100@aol.com
Date: Sun, 14 Oct 2012 19:51:06 +0500 (TJT)
Subject: I Am Bassey

Sir
I know you must have received the first letter I sent to you by post,but
if you have not, here comes a follow-up to it.Firstly, I must seek for
your understanding and pray that God will give you the wisdom to
understand me and be in a position to help.

I am the chief Auditor,Foreign exchange department of the federal ministry
of Finance,Abuja Head Quarters.During my recent auditing in this
Ministry,i discovered an Account opened here in 1985 and since 1986,no
body operated on the Account.

When i traced it,with all the files relating to this Account,i discovered
that the owner of the Account was our late head of state,General Sani
Abacha.This is one of the numerous Accounts belonging to the family of the
late head of state.After checking all the files,i discovered the all the
staff of this Ministry,both old and new do not know about this Account and
has no nest of kin.

The total amount in this A/C is (US$56,577,000.00) Fifty six million,five
hundred and seventy seven thousand United Stares Dollars only.A Financial
Expert has advised me to look a partner overseas who will help me to
receive the total amount in his account for joint investments since I can
not make use of it here for Government's seizure hence i contact
you.Again,the funds can only be paid into a foreign account since you are
a foreigner.

If i do not remit this money out from here urgently,it will be forfeited
for nothing since i can not make use of it here for fear of Government
seizure,hence i contact you.

kindly send down the following to me and as soon as i receive the
information listed below,i will send down to you the Certificate of
Deposit and change of owner ship.

Kindly send down to me the following:
1.FULL NAME

2.PHONE AND FAX.

3.YOUR MAILING ADDRESS

We look forward to hearing from you soonest.
Yours Faithfully,
Paul Bassey
You can as well reply to mmaryjjoness@yahoo.co.uk

Anti-fraud resources:

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