419 scam: "Office Contact"<office@world.ocn.ne.jp> URGENT PLEASE

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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 us 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)
- "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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Office Contact" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <officecontact2101@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2018 08:36:31 -0400
Subject: URGENT PLEASE

Good Day,
I am in your country last 2 weeks seeking resident permit but i was advice at the embassy to get a business investment to show i am not in your country for bad intention but to invest so in my search for a business partner I got your email address: [[-Email-]] from a business directory.
My Name is Mr.Abu J.Hassan, My father is a business man from Syrian but we lost everything we have in the Syrian war and lost my mother also, I feel like crying each time I remember my father building and company in Syrian that was bomb, All we have left is the funds with HSBC Bank. I want you to help to receive this money for investment, Total funds is US$30,000,000.00 Million US dollars, I will give you 40% of the total.
I know this may sound so strange to you and also extremely risky for me to offer such proposal to a total stranger on via email but this is my last resort to get this done.
My wife said she have been calling you on phone but no one is answering your phone, I hope we have the right phone number.
If you can invest the funds for me, get back to me soon.
so that we start the whole process.
I will wait to hear from you.
Regards for on behalf of my Family

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam