419 scam: Mr James Okwa <captaincashpawnshop@yahoo.com> GOOD DAY

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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:
- "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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "this business is hitch free " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Mr James Okwa <captaincashpawnshop@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: james13okwa@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 8 May 2010 01:34:50 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: GOOD DAY

GOOD DAY,

MY NAME IS MR.JAMES OKWA, PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT ALLIED AND BOND BANK.

I AM WRITING IN RESPECT OF A FOREIGN CUSTOMER OF MY BANK (WILLIAM
BARNES, OF AMERICA) WHO PERISHED IN THE PLANE CRASH OF 31 OCTOBER
1999[WITH EGYPTIAN AIRLINE 990] WITH OTHER PASSENGERS ABOARD AS YOU CAN
SEE FROM THE WEBSITE BELOW :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/world/americas/502503.stm

SIR, SINCE THE DEMISE OF WILLIAM BARNES, I PERSONALLY HAVE WATCHED WITH
KEEN INTEREST TO SEE THE NEXT OF KIN BUT ALL HAS PROVED ABORTIVE AS NO
ONE HAS COME TO CLAIM HIS FUNDS OF US$30,000,000 [THIRTY MILLION UNITED
STATES DOLLARS]HAS BEEN WITH OUR BANK HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

ON THIS NOTE I DECIDED TO SEEK FOR WHOM HIS NAME SHALL BE USED AS THE
NEXT OF KIN, AS NO ONE HAS COME UP TO PUT CLAIM AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO
THIS FUNDS AND THE BANKING ETHICS HERE DOES NOT ALLOW SUCH MONEY TO
STAY MORE THAN 11YEARS, BECAUSE AFTER 11YEARS THE MONEY WILL BE CALLED
BACK TO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED BILL.

IN VIEW OF THIS I GOT YOUR CONTACT THROUGH MY COUNTRY'S FOREIGN TRADE
MISSION AFTER I WAS CONVINCED IN MY MIND THAT YOUR NAME/COMPANY COULD
BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THIS CLAIM. THE REQUEST OF THE FOREIGNER
AS A NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE
CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A NIGERIAN CANNOT STAND AS THE NEXT OF KIN
TO A FOREIGNER.

I AGREED THAT 30% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS A FOREIGN PARTNER IN
RESPECT OF PROVIDING AN ACCOUNT WHILE 10% WILL TAKE OF ANY EXPENSES
THAT MIGHT BE INCURRED IN THE PROCESS OF SUCCEEDING THE TRANSFER AND
THE REST WILL BE FOR ME. THEREAFTER I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR
DISBURSEMENT AS I AM ALMOST DUE FOR RETIREMENT.

UPON THE RECEIPT OF YOUR ACCEPTANCE, I WILL SEND YOU BY FAX OR E-MAIL A
DRAFT APPLICATION OF CLAIM WHICH YOU WILL SEND TO THE BANK AS THE NEXT
OF KIN AND THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE.

I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS BUSINESS IS HITCH
FREE AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR AS THE WHOLE REQUIRED
ARRANGEMENT HAS BEEN PERFECTED FOR THE TRANSFER. PLEASE REPLY URGENTLY

HOPING TO HEAR FROM YOU.

REGARDS,

MR.JAMES OKWA

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam