419 scam: "Barr Steven Walker"<walker_steven@yahoo.com> Greetings To you,}.... me back.ECK ASAPnd Call Mr.PŒë¸"

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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.
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.
- wbarrsteven@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barr Steven Walker" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wbarrsteven@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2010 22:22:39 -0000
Subject: Greetings To you,

Greetings To you,

On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Eng. Robert Mark, I once again try to notify you as my earlier letter was returned undelivered. I hereby attempt to reach you again by this same email address on the WILL. I wish to notify you that late Engr Robert Mark made you a beneficiary in his WILL.

He left the sum of Six Million Eight hundred Thousand Pounds, (£6,800.000.00) to you in the Codicil and last testament to his WILL.This may sound strange and unbelievable to you but it is real and true.Being a widely traveled man, he said he met you sometime in the past or simply you were nominated to him by one of his numerous friends abroad who must have wished you good (I am not too sure).

According to him, this money is to support your humanitarian/medical activities and to help the poor and the needy in our society.Please if I reach you as I am hopeful, endeavor to get back to me as soon as possible to enable me conclude my job. I hope to hear from you in no distant time.

I am sincerely sorry if you feel bothered or embarrassed by this message. Please do contact me on my personal email address
below:

wbarrsteven@hotmail.com

I await your prompt response.

Yours in Service,
Barr Steven Walker

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam