419 scam: "Mr. Harrison Wood" <harrisonwood_2014@mynet.com> From Mr. Harrison Wood.

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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "please indicate your readiness" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "is highly confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Harrison Wood" <harrisonwood_2014@mynet.com>
Reply-To: harrisonwood1973@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 10:32:43 -0500
Subject: From Mr. Harrison Wood.

From Mr. Harrison Wood.
Before I proceed I will like you to understand one thing, at first I was
afraid if my letter will meet you in good state of mind considering the
fact that I got your contact from the internet.

I know you may have received such letters before but I beg you to handle
this with all you heart and you will never regret it.

Reasons for contacting you as follow,

1) Late Jimmy Malila was a big customer of our bank and I was his
account manager before he died, over four years after his death no one
has come for the fund ($15.Million USD), so I want you to stand as the
beneficiary of the fund.

2) I will first in store your name in our bank data system as the next
of kin to the Late Dr. Jimmy.

3) I am not in position to apply for the release of this fund due to my
position in the bank here, so I want to front you as the next of Kin
after I have done my underground work as an insider in the bank.

4) We need a Lawyer here to help us obtain all the necessary legal
documents for smooth processing/releasing of the fund.

The Lawyer shall help us get a Release Form and other documents needed
from high court which will proof that you are the rightful beneficiary
of the fund that belongs to Dr. Jimmy.

As soon as the lawyer gets the legal documents from court he will
present it to our head office on your behalf as your international
Lawyer. He will instruct our bank on how to transfer the fund into your
account.

This is highly confidential please keep to yourself no third party and
if you want us to achieve good success at the end, please keep to my
instruction and guideline.

Please indicate your readiness to enable us start immediately, after I
see you willingness, I will then give you contact detail of Lawyer that
will assist us with the documentations but my name will not be mentioned
to the Lawyer due to my position in the bank.

Please if you are willing to work with me, kindly fill the form below to
enable me store your details in our bank data base system.

1. Full Name............

2. Private Tel...........

3. Your Age..............

4. Your Country..........

5. Your Occupation.........

6. A copy of your Passport.........

I wait your urgent response.

Thanks,

Mr. Harrison Wood.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam