419 scam: "Mr. David Asotu" <davidasotu1@gmail.com> I need your assistance...From David Asotu

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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:

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 united state 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)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a orphan 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.
- davidasotu@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. David Asotu" <davidasotu1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <davidasotu@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 9 May 2011 16:05:55 -0700
Subject: I need your assistance...From David Asotu

Please I need your assistance,

First and foremost, I must solicit your strictness confidence in this transaction and i pray that my decision to contact you will be given genuine approval considering the fact we have not know each other before, I wish to use this opportunity to introduce myself to you .

I am David Asotu,19 years old, the only son of late Mr. Aliman Asotu, my late father was a wealthy cocoa merchant based in Abidjan, the economic capital of Cote d'Ivoire, before he was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their outing to discuss business.Whele my mother died on the 21st Nov. 2000, my father took me so special because I am motherless and only child.

Before my father gives up to the ghost on the 15th of Feb. 2011 in a private hospital here in Ghana, he secretly called me on his bedside revealed to me about Two consignments boxes containing (US$8.5 Million United State Dollars )Which he deposited with a securiy company in Ghana for safe keeping ,my father did not disclose the content of the boxes to the security company to avoids the officials from raising eye brows to the funds.

Presently i am here in Ghana to notify the security company for the claim ,and i am staying in the refugee Camp .therefore i want you to lecture me on how best we can invest this money,Because my father told me that it is dangerous to invest this money in african to avoid suspicions and due to market instabilty coupled with economic and political facing african counties that is why i want to invest in abroad.

For your mutual assistance , i myself agreed to offer you 30% of the total amount of the money and also 5% for any expenses.
I have all the vital documents coverig the deposit and the ownership which i can send to you through email,NOTE:I have never disclosed this to any person apart from you ,so you have to keep this transaction as a Top Secret to yourself alone.

I will want you to forward across to me .

(1)Your Full Names...

(2)Your Ages....

(3)Your Telephone Number ...

(4)A Copy of Your Identification...

(5) Your Home Address....

For me to know who is dealing with me. I'm just giving you blind trust hoping you will not betray me. If this proposal is acceptable by you, please confirm your interest and please email me only at (davidasotu@gmail.com)

Thank you and God bless.
Yours sincerely,
David Asotu.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam