419 scam: "Alex Uma" <testuser@ecoshieldpest.com> Hello i Need your assistance

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "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)
- "top secret" (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)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- alex.uma@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Alex Uma" <testuser@ecoshieldpest.com>
Reply-To: alex.uma@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2016 02:26:30 -0700
Subject: Hello i Need your assistance

Dear friend,

I Am Mr. Alex Uma, a banker here in Ghana. I write you this very confidential proposal in good faith hoping that I will rely on you. In 2010, Mr. Alfredo Dueman from

USA he made a fixed deposit valued at US$12,200,000.00 (Twelve million Two hundred thousand United States Dollars) with my bank the Barclays Bank Of Ghana. He was an

oil merchant and a contractor. He came here in Ghana for an oil exploration, before he made the deposit through his Swiss account I was his account officer.

Unfortunately, while on a business trip, he died in a deadly Tsunami earthquake that occurred on March 11, 2011 in Sendai Japan that killed many people.

The management of our bank have been sourcing for a means to reach him so as to ascertain if he will want to roll over the Deposit or have the contract sum withdrawn,

when I discovered that this will happen, I learnt of his death, so I have tried to think up a procedure to preserve this fund and use the proceed for charity. Some

directors have been trying to find out from me the information about this account and the owner, but I have kept it closed because I know that if they become aware of

his death, they will divert the funds for their private use and interest.

Therefore, I am seeking your co-operation to present you as the next of kin of his funds. So that my bank headquarters will pay the funds to you. I have done enough

inside bank arrangement and I only have to put in your details into the information network in the bank computers and reflect you as his next of kin. This is a risk

free operation as long as no one beside you and I knows about this, I look forward to your honesty and cooperation, Let me know your mind on this, and please do treat

this information as Top secret.

We shall go over the details once I receive your response strictly through my personal email address.(alex.uma@yahoo.com) we can also discuss this on phone. Send me

your phone number for easy communication anticipating your communication. Please I count on your discretion, note I am a family man, I have wife and children. The

consequences will be very devastating if my Bank finds outâ€¦To be able to achieve success, this must remain a secret between us, the sharing should formula would be 45%

for me, 45% for you and then 10% to Charity.

Best Regards,
Mr. Alex Uma
alex.uma@yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam