419 scam: "Rt Hon George Osborne (MP)"<hongeorge.osborne1@london.com> Urgent Response Needed !!

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:

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:
- "inheritance funds" (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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447011164671 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Rt Hon George Osborne (MP)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <hongeorge.osborne@london.com>
Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:36:36 -0600
Subject: Urgent Response Needed !!

HM Treasury
1 Horse Guards Road
London SW1A 2HQ
Telephone: +4470111 64671

Attn: Beneficiary,

We the entire members of Her Majesty Treasury, on behalf of the
Government of Great Britain, under the auspices of the Her Royal Majesty
Queen Elizabeth of England II held a meeting this week concerning payment,
both foreign and local contractors and some inheritance funds which were
not released to the rightful benefactors.

Her Royal Majesty, has just informed this office (Her Majesty Treasury)
that All the listed contractors and Inheritance funds benefactors which
their CONTRACT PAYMENT SUM AND INHERITANCE FUNDS were not paid to should
be released to them with effect.

We discovered that your payment listed to us Seven million five hundred
thousand dollars (US$7.5M) approximately Four million Great Britain Pounds
(GBP 4M), you are advised to respond with effect so that we will process
your payment to be made in any form you wish to receive your funds.

Kindly respond to this office so that your payment will be process and
transferred under 72hours of receiving this email, you can contact us on
this telephone number +4470111 64671 for a voice confirmation.

On going through files yesterday, we discovered that your file was dumped
untreated, so at this juncture, we apologize for the delay of your
payment and please stop communicating with any office now and attention to
the appointed office below for you to receive your payment accordingly.

Now your new Payment Reference No.-5368821, Allocation No: 818350
Password No : 444331 , Pin Code No: 8901 and your Certificate of Merit
Payment No : 103 , Released Code No: 0763; Immediate Telex confirmation
No: -1113355 ; Secret Code No: XXUK015, Having received these vital
payment number, therefore You are qualified now to receive and confirm
Your payment with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern

Ireland immediately within 72hours You are directed to reconfirm your full
detailed information, as stated:

FULL NAME, HOME ADDRESS, PROFESSION and MARITAL STATUS, AGE, HOME PHONE
NUMBER and CELL PHONE NUMBER as well as time to call
you on the phone.

Best Regards
Rt Hon George Osborne (MP)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam