419 scam: "Carolinar Curtis"<info@optimummag.com> Unpaid Beneficiary,

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "transfer into your account" (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)
- "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2348107554127
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- mrberryanderson@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Carolinar Curtis" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrberryanderson@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2017 02:49:31 -0700
Subject: Unpaid Beneficiary,

Head of United Nations Under-Secretary

General for Internal Oversight Services

To: Unpaid Beneficiary,

From: Mrs. Carolinar Curtis

This is to inform you that I came to Nigeria yesterday from USA, after series of complaint from the FBI and other Security agencies from USA, Asia, Europe, and America respectively about nonpayment of compensation fund to scam victims, and lot of complains has been lodge against the Federal Government of Nigeria and the British Government for the high volume of fraudulent activities going on in both nations.

As directed by UN secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, we are working in collaborations with the Nigerian Financial Crime Commission/FBI in order to get your overdue payment compensation fund of $2.5Million only, transfer into your account or pay out through international certified BANK DRAFT without any delay.

To be honest, you are a lucky person because I have just discovered that some top Nigerian and USA/Canadian Government officials are interested in your fund and they are working in partnership with one Mr. Richard Graves from USA in order to frustrate you and make you lose focus and thereafter divert your compensation fund into their personal account and that is the main reason why they are disseminating force information to you.

Note that I have a very limited time to stay in Nigeria here so I would like you to urgently respond to this message, by forward your details to Mr. Berry Anderson whom will authorize and start processing your compensation pay out with the available payout options below, do not hesitate to forward the daily scam letter you received from imposter to us via email, as this will help in getting scam artist/ impersonator arrested.

Email Address: mrberryanderson@gmail.com

Phone : +234 810-7554-127

KINDLY FURNISH US WITH THE FOLLOWING DETAILS FOR PROPER CLARIFICATIONS:

FULL NAMES:

ADDRESS:

CELL NUMBER:

DATE OF BIRTH:

NATIONALITY:

MARITAL STATUS:

RELIGION:

GENDER:

OCCUPATION:

BANK NAME:

BANK ADDRESS:

ACCOUNT NUMBER:

ROUTING NUMBER:

SWIFT CODE:

Option 2 : PAYOUT BY INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIELD BANK DRAFT

Your Full Names:

Home Address:

Nationality:

Phone Number:

Age:

Occupation:

Gender:

Sincerely yours,

Carolinar Curtis

Head of United Nations Under-Secretary

General for Internal Oversight Services

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam