419 scam: "Paymaster General"<info@info.com> Read and Reply

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:
- "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
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.
- +2348137393354
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.
- ggeorgeanderson@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Paymaster General" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ggeorgeanderson@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 6 Apr 2011 13:40:03 -0700
Subject: Read and Reply - 7th,April 2011

Dear Inheritor,

Your Funds were returned to the Federal Government Treasury a while ago because you did not finalize your claim
for it. A week ago, the Presidency and The Federal Executive Council collectively agreed to release the sum of
US10 (TEN MILLION DOLLARS) to you but to our surprise you sent down your representatives Mr. Robert Jason
and Mr. Jim Harrison to collect this Funds on your behalf, this morning.
Since you sent your representatives to us, kindly give us the authority to transfer your Funds into their own Bank
Account in Singapore.
We await your immediate response via email and telephone But if you did not Authorize this claim then fill and
submit this form right away to this department :

Full Name,Address,Phone Number,Occupation,Country.

Reply only to: ggeorgeanderson@aol.com
Phone Number : +234 - 81 -37393354

Officially Sealed,
Dr Terry Edmond.
The Honorable Paymaster General.

READ AND REPLY- Very Urgent

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam