419 scam: Allen Smith <official115836@att.net> FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!!!

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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 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.
- allensmith474@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Allen Smith <official115836@att.net>
Reply-To: allensmith474@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 20 May 2010 02:05:59 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!!!

Dear Friend,

My name is Mr Allen Smith from Bills & Exchange Department HSBC BANK 8, Canada square London, United Kingdom.

I would want to use this medium after going through your profile to seek for assistance in a business transaction which is of mutual benefit. A foreigner late Mr.David McGrath who is from the United State, an Oil merchant/Contractor with the British Government , until his death in a ship mishap on the 2nd of May 1999, who Banked with us at our Bank and had a closing balance of US$21.5 million ,which the Bank does not know any of his available next of kin to claim this fund. To this regards, I have been directed by the board of Trustees of the bank to notify the diseased next of kin, which I have done and found out that he has no next of kin, which means that this funds will be lost to the government,which we all know will be stolen by the British Government officials.

In order to avert this development, myself and some of my trusted colleagues in the bank now seek your indulgence to have you stand as late Mr David McGrath next of kin so that the fund will be subsequently transferred and paid into your foreign account.On indicating your interest, all documents and proofs to enable you get this funds will be carefully worked out and we are assuring you a 100% risk free transaction. You will be allowed to retain 30% of the total amount after the transaction.

If this proposal is okay by you, and you wish to take advantage of the trust bestowed on you mail me as soon as possible via my private email address to enable me furnish you with relevant details to this transaction.

Note: This transaction will only last us 10 working days.Please, disabuse your mind by not equating this, with the every day online scam that people come across everyday,but rather treat it with the utmost level of promptness and confidentiality.

Best regards,

Mr Allen Smith

HSBC BANK 8, Canada square London,

United Kingdom.

Email:allensmith474@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam