419 scam: Dr Mendosa Smith <cheekiong.yong@yahoo.com.sg> Today's Message 10/4/2010

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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:
- ",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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- jamesalabiconsultants@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: Dr Mendosa Smith <cheekiong.yong@yahoo.com.sg>
Reply-To: accdetailss@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 2010 22:36:48 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Today's Message 10/4/2010

Attention:

I'm Dr.Mendosa Smith,i will like to discuss about a woman Mrs.Stella Adam,A dying woman who has decided to donate what she has to you and to support your humanitarian activities and to help the poor and the needy in Your society. She is 55 years old and was diagnosed for cancer of the lung for about 4years ago, immediately after the death of her husband, who has left Her everything he worked for and because she will not live longer than some weeks because of her health, I decided to WILL / donate the sum of USD$6,500,000.00 (Six Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) to you for the good work of humanity, and also to help the motherless and less privilege. Please I want you to promise me that you will use 30% to help the poor and the needy in your society. Contact my lawyer Barrister James Alabi with this specified email: (jamesalabiconsultants@hotmail.com) and tell him that I have WILLED (USD$6,500,000.00) to you and I have also notified him.

God has directed me to do this.

Thanks and God bless.

Mendosa Smith For Mrs.Stella Adam.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam