419 scam: "Mr.James Smith" <jamessmith@uba.org> From the desk of Mr.James Smith

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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "requires utmost trust" (a common phrase found 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.
- +2348053815549 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- documentationoffice76@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.James Smith" <jamessmith@uba.org>
Reply-To: honourgod25@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 09:04:32 +0100
Subject: From the desk of Mr.James Smith

>From the desk of Mr.James Smith
United Bank For Africa plc
Private Email:documentationoffice76@yahoo.com
Telephone Number:+234-8053815549

I am Mr.James Smith, Executive Director, Account, Treasury and international Operations of United Bank For Africa plc, I am contacting you to stand as the next of kin to my late customer Mr. Kurt Kahle who hales from Germany, Mr. Kurt Kahle has an escrow account with our bank for years now, on our auditing week I discovered an abandoned sum of (USD14 Million)
that was in one of his account with out claim since his death.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

Kurt Klaus Kahle, 51, died in the crash at Haberstock Munich with his 37-year-old wife and son Michael, aged eight.He is a private business investor, Mr. Kurt Kahle has an escrow account with our bank (United Bank
For Africa plc) Value 14 million usd, I have contacted you to assist insecuring this money before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank.

Attempts has been made twice by Government Agency to confiscate this account since the expiration of the five years, if not for my intervention as the head account and audit dept and that is the reason i request of a foreigner as next of kin in this business is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner and after the successful transfer of this
funds 14 million usd you will be entitled to 45% of the total sum, 50% for me and the balance of 5% will be used to reimburse our selves for expenses that we may incur in this transaction.

Note that this transaction requires utmost trust sincerity and confidentiality. Do get back to me only through my private
email:documentationoffice76@yahoo.com and this information below to enable me draft a text of application that you will need to submit to the bank
applying as the next of kin to Mr.Kurt Kahle.

Full Name:.................................
Age:........................................
Phone Number:..................................
Fax:............................................
Address:.........................................
Sex:..............................................
Occupation:........................................

I will be expecting an email from you to confirm the acceptance of this transaction and to confirm the acknowledgment of the proposal.Thanks and
have a pleasant day.

Best regards,
Mr.James Smith

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam