419 scam: "Patrick Bala"<patrick_bala@outlook.com> Hello.

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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "first national bank" (not involved with lotteries)
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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)
- "is highly confidential" (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)
- "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "patrick.bala@safrica.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- +27735537484 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Patrick Bala" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <patrick.bala@safrica.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 2015 10:01:14 +0100
Subject: Hello.

Dear Sir/Madam,

With all due respect, my name is Mr. Patrick Bala, a senior partner in the Technical Advisory Board of First National bank of
South Africa and head of global payments and cash management. I respectfully request that you keep the contents of this mail
confidential and respect the integrity of the information. I contact you independently and no one is informed of this
communication.

During the course of our auditing in the last quarter, I noticed a dormant offshore account that has not been accessed for years
with the bank. In the process, I discovered that there was no indication of beneficiary in the electronics files and other book
keeping file of the originator account. It was then I perceived this will be a great opportunity to contact you since you are a
foreigner, so that we can handle this deal together and get these funds transferred abroad for investment.
In the light of the above, I humbly request your collaboration in transferring the sum of USD$16.2 Million United State Dollars
to your oversea account. This account has been dormant for years in the bank without claim and the bank will automatically
transfer this fund to the bank's treasury as unclaimed fund if we do not act on it urgently. Nobody is getting hurt here as we
see so much cash and funds being re-assigned daily.

I am not a selfish person, and what I do, I do not find against good conscience. This may be hard for you to understand, but the
dynamics of my industry dictates that I make this move. Such opportunities only come ones in a lifetime. I cannot let this
chance pass me by. For once; I have found myself in total control of my destiny. Please, do not betray my confidence. If we can
be of one accord, we should act swiftly on this.

I assure you that there are no risks involved in this transaction because it is something I studied very well, and with my
position in the bank I have the discretion to register your information as the beneficiary in the bank electronic filing system
and other bank keeping file documents. On completion of this deal, I will conveniently erase it out of the system which will
leave no traces.
I am prepared to share the money with you in half (50-50) given your full cooperation. This is highly confidential as the
success of this business depends on how secret it is kept.

If you are interested in my business proposal, kindly respond on my personal email or if convenient you can give me a call.

Yours sincerely,

Mr. Patrick Bala.
Email: patrick.bala@safrica.com
Tel: +27 735 537 484

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam