419 scam: "John Walker"<john.walker211@yahoo.com.hk> Must Read

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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 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.
- john.walker211@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "John Walker" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <john.walker211@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:28:42 +0800
Subject: Must Read

*This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(r) Pro*
Dear Friend,

My name is Mr. John Walker,I work in the Euro
Lottery, I am soliciting your assistance for a swift transfer of
4,528,000 GBP, should you bewilling to assist me in this project
we shall be sharing the funds 50-50.

Just as a brief note, due to my position in the
company I could make it happen that you would be the winner of
the amount stated above, naturally everybody would like to play a
lottery if they are assured of winning, I am assuring you today that you
will be a winner, please do not take for granted this once in a life
time opportunity as we both stand to collectively gain from this at
the success of the transaction.

Should you be willing to assist me in this transaction please do
respond to my secure e-mail: john.walker211@gmail.com

I would be providing you with my private phone number.

Regards,

Mr. John Walker

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam