419 scam: "DR.THOMAS OKON"<thomasokon78@yahoo.com> Confidentiality

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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.
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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "trunk box" (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)
- "trunk boxes" (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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "very 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)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- +2348171073880
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.
- thomasokon77777@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "DR.THOMAS OKON" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <thomasokon56@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2013 21:04:07 -0700
Subject: Confidentiality

DR.THOMAS OKON
MANAGER GULF BANK PLC.
TEL= +2348171073880
Private Email: thomasokon77777@gmail.com

Dear Sir, I am DR.THOMAS OKON The Manager Gulf Bank, Lagos, Nigeria. I have urgent and-very confidential business proposition for you. On June 03/06/2012. a Foreign Oil consultant/contractor with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr.Xie Zhenfeng made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for some months, valued at S$32,500,000.00 (Thirty-two Million Five hundred Thousand Dollars only)in my branch.

Upon maturity,I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month,we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers,the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation that Mr.Xie Zhenfeng on June 03/06/2012. died in a plane crash on Flight 992 a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft This crash happened in Lagos Nigeria Africa, and the registration number of the aircraft is 5N-RAM.

And since his untimely death the funds has been dormant in his account with my Bank without any claim of the fund On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.

I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr.Xie Zhenfeng did not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.

This sum of US$32,500,000.00 has carefully been moved out of my bank to a security and finance company for safe-keeping.No one will ever come forward to claim it, According to Nigerian Law,at the expiration of 10 (ten) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Nigerian Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.Consequently.

my proposal is that I will like you as a Foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to the late mr.Xie Zhenfeng as to claim the money I deposited with the security and finance company in two trunk boxes, though the security company does not know the real contents of the boxes as I tagged them to be photographic materials for export.

Am writing you because as a public servant, we can not operate a foreign account or have an account outside the country I want to present you as the owner of the two trunk boxes in the security and finance company so you can be able to claim the money with the help of my attorney.

All these are to make sure that the fruits of this old man's labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials. This is simple,I will like you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the Attorney will prepare the necessary documents which will put you in place as the owner of the boxes.

The money will be moved out for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 35% for you and 5% will take care of all expenses incure on both side. There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done by the Attorney and this will guarantee the successful execution of this transaction.

if you are interested, pleas reply immediately via my email address,as soon as i got your response, I shall then provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction.

Please observe with utmost confidentiality, and be rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your country.

Hoping to hear from you.

REGARDS,
DR.THOMAS OKON
+2348171073880

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