419 scam: Mr Luis Gray <luis-gray@bol.com.br> DID YOU RECEIVE LETTER FROM MY OFFICE =?UTF-8?Q?TODAY=3F?=

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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:
- "foreign remittance department" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- luis-gray@bol.com.br (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Luis Gray <luis-gray@bol.com.br>
Reply-To: luisgray32@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:40:04 +0400
Subject: DID YOU RECEIVE LETTER FROM MY OFFICE =?UTF-8?Q?TODAY=3F?=

--
ATTENTION:

WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED BY THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT TO CREDIT YOUR
FUND 1.3MILLION USD, INTO YOUR ACCOUNT WE WISH TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ALL
ARRANGEMENT HAS BEEN FINALLY CONCLUDED FOR THE SUCCESS OF THIS CONTRACT
FUND TO BE CREDITED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT WITHOUT ANY FURTHER OF DELAY.

MEAN WHILE, A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER, CLAIMING
TO BE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND SENT BY YOU TO CLAIM YOUR FUND. DO CONFIRM TO
THIS OFFICE AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS WOMAN IS FROM YOU SO THAT OUR
BANK WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR WRONGFUL PAYMENT OR UNLAWFUL
DIVERSION OF YOUR OVERDUE FUND INTO A WRONG ACCOUNT

YOUR RESPOND IS REQUIRED TO ENABLE US CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT WITHOUT ANY
FURTHER DELAY AND YOU ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO GET BACK TO US WITH THE
RECONFIRMATION OF YOUR DETAILS PARTICULARS TO ENABLE US RECROSS CHECK WITH
THE ONE WE HAVE IN OUR CENTRAL COMPUTER DATA BASE TO AVOID WRONGFUL PAYMENT
OR UNLAWFUL DIVERSION OF YOUR OVERDUE FUND INTO A WRONG ACCOUNT.
.
CONGRATULATION TO YOUR CONTRACT FUND. PLEASE BE FAST ON THIS MATTER.

CONFIRM IF THIS WOMAN IS YOUR REPRESENTATIVE OR SENT BY YOU,IF NOT, THEN
YOU ARE ADVISED TO CONTACT THIS OFFICE IMMEDIATELY RECONFIRMING TO US THE
FOLLOWING DETAILS FOR US TO CROSS CHECK AND PROCESS YOUR PAYMENT.

1. FULL NAMES;

2. RESIDENT CONTACT ADDRESS;

3. DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER OR CELL NUMBER;

4. AGE AND OCCUPATION ;

5; COPY OF YOUR IDENTITY IF POSSIBLE;

THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING.

BEST REGARDS,
MR LUIS GRAY,
Director, Economic and Social Development,
(luis-gray@bol.com.br)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam