419 scam: LAWRENCE RAY <godwinbaker@yahoo.co.nz> ATTN: ARE YOU DEAD OR ALIVE???

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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:
- "with your full names" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
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.
- +2348024506389 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: LAWRENCE RAY <godwinbaker@yahoo.co.nz>
Reply-To: lawrence.ray35@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 15:08:06 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: ATTN: ARE YOU DEAD OR ALIVE???

FROM THE NEW ELECTED MINISTER: DR. MANSUR MUHTAR(OFR) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE,
SECRETARY: MR. LAWRENCE RAY,
5th Floor, Annex 3, New Federal Secretariat Complex,
Shehu Shagari Way, Central Area
Abuja - Nigeria .
DIRECT LINE +234-802-4506-389

Attention:

My name is Mr. Lawrence Ray, I'm the personal Secretary to the new , Minister of Finance I'm directed to contact you by the Minister to urgently confirm from you if actually you know one Mr. David Mark who claim to be your business associate/partner in Nigeria .

The said Mr.David Mark is claiming to us that you are dead and he will like to change all the Information that you gave to us as our bona fide beneficiary. Below is the new banking information were he wish to have this funds transferred to:-

Bank of America
6901 Northwest Expressway
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73132
Phone: 405-773-1683 Fax: 405-722-6005ABA: 103000017 (all other)
ABA: 026009593 (International)
ACCT. #:003042656833
ACCT: Name: FMS Investments Inc.
Signatory: Floyd M. Shealy

This development is coming now that the Ministry want to offset all your outstanding payments to all our legal foreign beneficiaries around the world in which your payment file was affected.

As you may know, the total amount in your favor is a total sum of usd$9.7m Dollars. We need to confirm from you if it's really true that you are dead and If we did not hear from you it automatically means that you are actually dead and the information passed to us by Mr.David Mark is correct.

You are to contact me through my email address as soon as you receive this message so as to know the true position of things with you so that we would not make any mistake in remitting your out-standing payment to a wrong person/account.

Your swift response will help this ministry a lot. Do email me with your full names and direct phone number for an easy communication, your age and occupation to this effect.

Best Regards,

DR. MANSUR MUHTAR (OFR)
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE (FMF)
PERSONAL SECRETARY: MR. LAWRENCE RAY

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam