419 scam: "HELEN DRAKOV"<helendrakov@aim.com> i will be greatful if you reply

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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.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a orphan scam.
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.
- +2348181556899
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.
- helendrakov@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "HELEN DRAKOV" (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2010 19:35:02 +0800
Subject: i will be greatful if you reply

Dear Respectful,

Good day, I know that this email will come to you as a surprise because you don,t know me and i don,t know you too. My name is HELEN DRAKOV,i am 23 years old and an ophan.My late father died in auto crash in Decembar 2005.

My late father was kill in a suspected road accident but the police reported that my late father was drunk and full of alcohol before his death.However,my late father was a successful business man who lived IN HONGKONG CHINA before coming back to my country, Latvia.Before the death of my father,he told me that he deposited the sum of US$5.000,000:00{five Million,united states dollars only) with a bank in china in the year 1999, I have contacted the Bank and they told me that i am free to come and claim the money as the only daugther of my late father as i have the secret number my father gave me that access the account. Now,i am presently living with my unlce who is taking care of my school and my uncle as business man, he work in Shell company in Nigeria as a foreign expectriate but my regret is hes very wicked to me.

He has seized all my late father,s properties and sold them away without showing any concern or remors to me.Now,i don't want him to know about the US$5.000,000:00 with the Bank that is why i am contacting you to give me urgent assist so that i can instruct the bank Bank to transfer the money to your account to enable me come to meet you in your country.

My main reason of contacting you is because i don,t want my uncle to know about the money because he may claim it and seize the money and i will not get anything. I am assuring you that this money belong to my late father and it is safe,risk free and legal. the deposit is with the bank Let me know if your ready to help me on this so that i can give you the detail information of the bank,and we reach an agreement on what will be your share.
I am waiting for your reply thanks very much i expect to hear from you this is my emailadress please help and reply me directly helendrakov@aim.com or call my number
+2348181556899.

Helen Drakov
Plot 594, Aminu Kano
Crescent Wuse Zone 2 Abuja
+2348181556899

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam