419 scam: <tbone1138@starwarz.com> Why Exactly Do We Care So Much?

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:
- "a security company " (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 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: <tbone1138@starwarz.com>
Reply-To: <cassan225@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 10:10:23 -0400
Subject: Why Exactly Do We Care So Much?

http://www.starwarz.com/tbone/archive/index.php?categoryid=22&p2_articleid=62

MY NAME IS MRS.BECCA FINN HUTTON.WIFE OF LATE AMBASSADOR OF JAMAICA HERE IN COTE D'VOIRE ,I AM CONTACTING YOU BECAUSE I WANT TO ENTRUST THE SUM OF USD$12.7 MILLION USA DOLLARS TO YOUR HAND FOR CHARITY WORK,THIS MONEY WAS DEPOSITED BY MY LATE HUNSBAND IN A SECURITY COMPANY HERE IN CAPITAL CITY OF IVORY COAST CALLED ABIDJAN AND OUR PLAN WAS TO USE IT FOR INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT BEFORE DEATH TAKES HIM AWAY FROM ME. AND CONSIDERING MY PRESENT HEALTH CONDITION WHICH MY LAST DATE HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED BY MY DOCTOR ,I HAVE DECIDED TO ENTRUST THIS MONEY TO YOUR HAND AS A DONATION .TO USE 70% FOR CHARITY WORK, TO HELP THE INNOCENT HELPLESS PEOPLE AROUND YOU,,TO HELP THE ORPHANAGES, WIDOWS, AND MOTHERLESS CHILDREN, I AUTHORIZED YOU TO KEEP 30% AS THE BLESSING OF GOD TO YOUR LIFE,,PLEASE I WANT YOU TO KNOW THA T THIS IS 100% RISK FREE BECAUSE I HAVE ALL THE DEPOSIT DOCUMENTS WITH ME WHICH I WILL SEND TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU ARE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE SECURITY COMPANY, I AM WAITING
YOUR URGENT RESPONSE SO THAT I CAN GIVE YOU ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS MONEY AND THE CONTACT INFORMATION OF THE SECURITY COMPANY WERE THE MONEY WAS DEPOSITED BY MY LATE HUSBAND SO THAT YOU CAN CONTACT THEM IMMEDIATELY FOR THE TRANSFER,, REMAIN BLESSED ALWAYS,HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOONEST,MRS.BECCA FINN HUTTON

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam