419 scam: "DEAR FRIEND" <benjaminsmit2@att.net> INVESTMENT PROPOSAL

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)
- "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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- munamohammed20111@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "DEAR FRIEND" <benjaminsmit2@att.net>
Reply-To: munamohammed20111@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 02 May 2011 00:51:10 +0800
Subject: INVESTMENT PROPOSAL

Dear Friend,

Good day to you, I am so sorry for sending you this unsolicited and unexpected mail. I got your contact from a Business Directory in my agents office and I decided to contact you directly for investment purpose.

My full Name is Mrs. Muna Mohammed with my only brother Ibrahim Muhammad we are from Congo, presently in Malaysia; we are searching for a reliable and experience Investor or business partnership that will educate and help us in investment line in middle- East, Asia or United State of America.

We have about $18.650 Million Dollars left for me and my only brother by our late parents, which was deposited with a Financial Firm here in Malaysia some years back by our late father, so we need your assistance to investing it either here in Malaysia or any country of your choice under your guidance.

So I am only soliciting for your assist to invest this fund.

If you are willing to work with us, please kindly give me your confidential contact phone number so that my brother Ibrahim will call you and discuss how to see you face to face
And discuss more details,

Thank you once again for your interest.
Mrs. Muna Muhammad
munamohammed20111@hotmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam