419 scam: "Russian Foundation" <heelamtz@cats-net.com> Development

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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:
- "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 fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!

Fraud email example:

From: "Russian Foundation" <heelamtz@cats-net.com>
Reply-To: ru08072175927@9.cn
Date: Tue, 03 May 2011 02:40:13 +0400
Subject: Development

The Russian Foundation for basic research would
like to notify you that you have been chosen by
the board of trustees as one of the final
recipients of a cash Grant/Donation of £400,000.00
Four Hundred Thousand Euro for your own personal,
educational, and business development.

Please note that these donations/Grants are strictly
administered by the EU, ECOWAS, UNO. You by all means
hereby advised to keep this whole information confidential
until you have been able to collect your donation, as
there have been cases of double and unqualified claim,
due to beneficiaries informing third parties about his/her
donation.

Finally, all funds should be claimed by their respective
beneficiaries,no later than 20 days after notification.

Failure to do so will mean cancellation of that beneficiary
and its donation will then be reserved for next year recipients.

Contact us on how to claim your cash Grant/Donation of £400,000.00
Four Hundred Thousand Euro.

E-Mail: ru08072175927@9.cn
Tell: plus (234) 807 217 5927

On behalf of the Board kindly, accept our warmest congratulations.

Regards.
Mr Luka Evans

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam