419 scam: "Rod Thompson"<rodthompson@handbag.com> Business proposal

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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:
- ",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 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.
- rodthompson50@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Rod Thompson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <rodthompson50>
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:30:07 +0200
Subject: Business proposal

>From Mr.Rod Thompson
Attn:

Ich vermute das diese E-Mail eine Überraschung für Siesein wird, aber es ist wahr.Ich bin bei einer routinen Überprüfung in meiner Bank(Standard Bank von Süd Afrika) wo ich arbeite, auf einem Konto gestoßen, was nicht in anspruch genommen worden ist, wo derzeit$12,500,000 (zwölfmillionenfünfhundert US Dollar) gutgeschrieben sind. Dieses Konto gehörte Herrn Manfred Becker, der einKunde in unsere Bank war, der leider verstorben ist. Herr Becker war eingebürtiger Deutscher.

Damit es mir möglich ist dieses Geld $12,500,000 inanspruch zunehmen, benötige ich die zusammenarbeit eines Ausländischen Partners wie Sie,den ich als Verwandter und Erbe des verstorbenen Herrn Becker vorstellen kann,damit wir das Geld inanspruch nehmen können.
Für diese Unterstützung erhalten Sie 30% der Erbschaftsumme und die restlichen 70% teile ich mirmit meinen zwei Arbeitskollegen, die mich bei dieser Transaktion ebenfalls unterstützen.Wenn Sie interessiert sind, können Sie mir bitte eine E-Mail schicken, damit ich Ihnen mehr Details zukommen lassen kann. Schicken Sie bitte Ihre Antwort auf diese E-Mail: (rodthompson50@aim.com)
Kindly reply in English in you speak English.( rodthompson50@aim.com)
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Mr.Rod Thompson

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam