419 scam: "Mr. Mathew Okon" <maokon@sify.com> OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AND ME

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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.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found 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.
- mathew_okonubn@yahoo.dk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- mathew_okon@web2mail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Mathew Okon" <maokon@sify.com>
Reply-To: mathew_okonubn@yahoo.dk
Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:12:18 +0100
Subject: OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AND ME

FROM THE DESK OF MR. MATHEW OKON
THE PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO THE
GENERAL MANAGER UNION BANK (NIG) PLC
EMAIL:mathew_okonubn@yahoo.dk OR mathew_okon@web2mail.com
LETTER OF BUSINESS PROPOSAL
I AM MR. MATHEW OKON THE PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO THE GENERAL MANAGER
UNION BANK (NIG) PLC. I WANT TO INQUIRE FROM YOU IF YOU CAN HANDLE
THIS TRANSACTION FOR MUTUAL BENEFITS/LIFE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AND ME.

THE TRANSACTION IS ABOUT ASSISTING MEANS BY FOREIGN COUNTERPART TO
ENABLE US PRESENT YOU AS THE BENEFICIARY OF THE USD$13.5 MILLION
UNITED STATE DOLLARS LEFT BY A DECEASED FOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO DIED IN A
PLANE CRASH WITH HIS FAMILY (MR. THOMAS. BROWN) SINCE MONDAY 24TH
OCTOBER 2005 IN NIGERIA. WEBSITE:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/africa/10/24/nigeria.plane/index.html
THIS FUND IS CURRENTLY IN SUSPENSE ACCOUNT AWAITING CLAIM, SINCE THE
TIME THE BANK MADE A PUBLIC NOTICE THAT THEY ARE READY TO RELEASE
THIS FUND TO ANY OF HIS RELATIVE ABROAD BUT NOBODY HAS EVER SHOWN UP
TO LAY CLAIMS TO THIS MONEY.
IF YOU CAN ASSIST ME IN CLAIMING THIS MONEY, YOU WILL DEPOSIT THE
MONEY WITH YOUR ACCOUNT ABROAD (I.E. IN YOUR COUNTRY) AND IT WILL BE
SHARED AS FOLLOW; 40% TO YOU, 50% TO ME AND 10% FOR MISCELLANEOUS
EXPENSES THAT WE MAY INCUR IN THE PROCESS OF THIS TRANSACTION. I WILL
GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE TRANSACTION WHEN I RECEIVE YOUR
AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSE VIA MY EMAIL ADDRESS OR PHONE STATED BELOW.
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU.
REGARD
MR. MATHEW OKON
Email: mathew_okonubn@yahoo.dk OR mathew_okon@web2mail.com
Tel: 234-083-442-2909
NB. I HAVE ALL THE NECCESSARY LEGAL DOCUMENTS FOR YOU TO CLAIM THIS
FUND

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam