419 scam: "Okafor"<john@orange.pl> URGENT REPLY

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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:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Okafor" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnokafor@terra.com.pe>
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2012 07:27:12 -0700
Subject: URGENT REPLY

Kind Attention
I am Barrister John Okafor,Legal adviser to James Ibori's family

(Former Governor of Delta State).My client had been standing

trial over a 10-count charge of fraud, stealing and money

laundering in a Southwark Crown Court, in London and he is to be

sentenced on April 16,2012.My client had pleaded guilty to the

charge against him before a London court but the EFCC said that

he would still stand trial in Nigeria after serving his jail term

in London.This is a double jeopardy and double punishment to my

client.In view of the above, the girl friend of Mr. James Ibori

has asked me to move out the US$20.3Million which Mr. Ibori used

her name to deposit with a Security Firm here for safe

keeping.The best way of moving the funds to you is via DIPLOMATIC

CHANNEL to your company's or home address.I guarantee you that

this transaction is hitch free from all what you may think of.If

you assure me that you have a secured place where you can keep

80% of the fund for my client till he gains his freedom,20% of

the fund would be yours for your assistant.Note that James

Ibori's name is not on any of the deposit documents,so it is not

risky for you to receive the fund at all. The process of moving

the fund to you via Diplomatic Channel is very simple.If you are

interested,Kindly respond promptly to this email:

johnokafor@terra.com.pe so I can advise you on the next step to

follow.
I will be waiting to hear from you.
Regards,
John Okafor

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam