419 scam: STEVEN MATINS <karen.vipan@virgin.net> STEVEN

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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:
- "hundred thousand u.s 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)
- "monrovia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "liberia" (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: STEVEN MATINS <karen.vipan@virgin.net>
Reply-To: smatins006@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2015 06:41:27 -0700
Subject: STEVEN

My Name is STEVEN MATINS the only Son of Mr George Martins, i am
17 year old My father was a very wealthy Gold Merchant in Monrovia
the Gold Capital of republic of LIBERIA in west africa.

Before the death of my father on 14th September 2014, my father called
me by his bed side and told me that he deposited the sum of (USD
$7.500, 000. 00, ( Seven Million Five Hundred thousand U.S Dollars
) at a bank in Cote Divoire.

He also made me to understand that it was because of this money he was
poisoned by his business associates while on a business trip with
them, and he instructed me to look for a foreign partner who will help
me transfer this money out of Cote Divoire and invest it for me. My
purpose of contacting you is for you to help me transfer this money to
your country and help me to invest the money in a good bussiness which
you think might be successful.

Im now in Cote D'ivoire, hiding because i dont want my fathers
associates to know that i am here in Cote D'ivoire , my father warned
me to be very careful and also to avoid those people that killed him.

I will compensate you with 40% of this money if you help me to
transfer the money to your account, l hope you will not betray the
trust i have on you because this money is my only hope in this life,
after the transfer of the money you will help me to come over to your
country to continue my education while you will invest my money for me
and also take good care of me.
I can assure you that there is No risk involve, the money is my
inheritance from my late father.

I am waiting to hear from you.

STEVEN MATINS

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam