419 scam: "Brad Bowers"<root@oray.cn> Outstanding Payment

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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)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2347062174230 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- anthonymaxwell_imf@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Brad Bowers" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bradbowers2@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:47:05 -0000
Subject: Outstanding Payment

Dear Friend,

I found your name in the Central Computer among the list of unpaid(Contractors,
Inheritance next of kin and lotto beneficiaries that wasoriginated from Africa,
Europe, Asia plus Middle east, Americans) among the list of individuals and
companies that your unpaid fund has been located to the Standard Chartered Bank,
HSBC,Barclays Bank, Natwest Bank,and Bank of America plus CBN.Your name appeared
among the beneficiaries who will receive apart-payment of US$1.5 million and has
been approved already for months. You are requested to get back to me for more
direction and instruction on how to receive your fund.However, we received an
email from one Mr. Robert Water who told us that he is your next of kin and that
you died in a car accident last week.

Dr Robert Water account co-ordinate as follows:
Bank of Lebanon
A/c no: 890458984589
Routing No: bl 275-79665
Aba no: BL-ANAJFG-FL
Beneficiary: Dr Robert Water

He has also submitted his account for us to transfer the fund to him.We
want to hear from you before we can make the transfer to confirm if
you are dead or not.Once again, I apologize to you on behalf Of
IMf(InternationalMonetaryFundhttp://www.imf.org/external/np/omd/bios/rrf.htm
failure to receiveyour funds in time, which according to records in the system
had been long overdue. Pls reply through system operator

Name: Mr Anthony Maxwell
Email: anthonymaxwell_imf@yahoo.com
Tel:+2347062174230

Mary Hamford
Director

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam