419 scam: Didier and Diana Thompson <vix4@zaz.att.ne.jp> Hello Our Dearest, Please Very Important

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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: Didier and Diana Thompson <vix4@zaz.att.ne.jp>
Reply-To: mrdidierthompson@yahoo.ie
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 1:41:18 +0900
Subject: Hello Our Dearest, Please Very Important

Hello Our Dearest, Please Very Important

Our warmest and lovely greetings to you. We know that our mail will be
surprising to you since you do not know me and my sister. Please, we are very
sorry if we disturb your privacy. We really wish to contact you for a business
venture which we intend to establish with you.

The reason why we have contacted you this way is because of the urgency needed
and pressure which we are now facing to find some one to help us including the
political crisis here. Our Late father before he died deposited a huge amount
Seven Million, Two Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$7.2Million) in one
of the leading bank here in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire. I and my younger sister are
looking for your help to guide us on how this money will be transferred abroad
so that we can move out of here to continue our education in your country while
you take charge of the investment with this money.

We are humbly seeking your godly assistance in the following ways; To provide an
account into which this money would be transferred and to serve as a guardian of
this money since we are Orphans and still very young.

If you can be of an assistance to us,we will be pleased to offer to you 30% Of
the total money. Please,we are waiting for your response urgently so that we can
discuss more with you.

God Bless you abundantly

Yours Sincerely,
Didier and Diana Thompson

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam