419 scam: "Joseph Grants"<info@mail.domain.com> Dear Friend,

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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)
- ",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)
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.
- joseph.grant@dores.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Joseph Grants" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <Joseph.Grant@Dores.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:55:24 +1000
Subject: Dear Friend,

Dear Friend,

I am an account Manager to a late customer in the Bank; he deposited US$9,500,000 Million (Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only).

And he dead on the 26th December 2004 in a Tsunami earthquake disaster, please check the website below for your clarification:

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/12/30/tsunami.foreign.deaths/index.html

I have the Investment Deposit Certificate for you to claim the sum US$9,500,000 Million from our bank on our behalf.

I want to present you to our bank as the Next of Kin to our late customer so that the bank can transfer the fund into your account. You will have 40% of the total sum of US$9,500,000 and I will have 60%.

I want your honest cooperation to enable us conclude this transaction successfully. I assure you that this transaction is legal.

Please provide your information below.

1. Telephone and fax number
2. Your home address
3. Your age/occupation
4. Your office address

Please send the information above to me on my email (Joseph.Grant@Dores.com)

I await your response.

Best Regards,

Mr. Joseph Grants.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam