419 scam: "Frederick Arndt"<office@WEBSMILE.biz> Dear Friend,

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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:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Frederick Arndt" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <robertdick68@yahoo.com.au>
Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2016 15:31:53 +0100
Subject: Dear Friend,

Attn:- ,

Who is Stephen Gallegos to you? I got the following account details from them yesterday morning and I have been waiting to hear from you for confirmation but still not heard anything.

Stephen forwarded the above account details and told me that you instructed him to claim this fund on your behalf & that your bank doesn't accept foreign transfers stating your inability to work with the bank due to the little accident you had few days ago. I waited since yesterday to confirm from you but no message yet,hence this message.

They agreed to send the required wire transfer charges this afternoon which I told them to be patient till I confirm from you. Note that if nothing is heard from you from today till tomorrow afternoon, Stephen will be considered and I will accept the payment from them to complete the transfer to his given bank account.

Please reply to us with:

(1) Your Full Name:
(2) Residential Address:
(3) Mobile/Cell Phone#:
(4) Profession:
(5) Attach copy of your ID:

Based on our investigation of your payment, we found out that he is claiming to be your representative and that you are dead and before your death, you made him the sole beneficiary of your fund and now, he has come to make claims to the said fund. A power of Attorney was presented as evidence So I want you to keep this transaction confidential.

Thanks for adhering to the above instruction's as we look forward to your urgent confirmation.

Regards,

Jeff Lavine
Anti-money Laundering & Sanctions Dept,
Financial Crimes Unit.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam