419 scam: "David Walker"<davidwalker@rainydrops.com> Respond promptly

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "account opening" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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)
- "attorneys " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "account opening form" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "David Walker" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrdavidwalker1965@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:41:40 +0700
Subject: Respond promptly

Hello,

I will like to solicit your help in a business proposition, which is by nature
very confidential. I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one
worried and Apprehensive but I am assuring you not to worry, as all will be well
at the end of this endeavor.A few months back, I sent you an email of which i am
yet to receive your response.

I am Mr. David Walker, personal attorney to late Dr. Edward who died of a
cardiac arrest a few years ago leaving behind a large sum of money with a
commercial bank in the Island of Seychelles which is a tax free zone, a place
where plenty of rich people tend to hide away funds not ready to be used or
invested . I will not mention the amount of money and name of bank presently
until we have agreed to deal.

So far, valuable efforts has been made to get to his people but to no avail, as
he had no known relatives more because he left his next of kin column in his
account opening forms blank and he has no known relative. Due to this
development the bank has come forward to ask us as his personal attorneys to
bring forward a close relative to claim the funds otherwise as the Seychelles
national laws would have it, any dormant account for five years will be declared
unclaimed and then paid into the government purse.

To avert this negative development my colleagues and I have decided to look for
a reputable person to act as the next of kin to late Dr. Edward so that the
funds could be processed and released into his account, which is where you come
in. my law firm will also act as your personal attorneys since we will be
portraying you as being directly related to our late client being from the same
country.

All legal documents to aid your claim for this fund and to prove your
relationship with the deceased will be provided by us. Your help will be
appreciated with 30% of the total sum which I would disclose in my next email
Please accept my apologies, keep my confidence and disregard this letter if you
do not appreciate this proposition I have offered you.

Yours Faithfully,

David Walker

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam