419 scam: Lanre Williams <vvkk.oclll@tim.it> My Dear Friend,

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:

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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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 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.
- gustavd1408@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Lanre Williams <vvkk.oclll@tim.it>
Reply-To: gustavd1408@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2017 13:18:57 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: My Dear Friend,

My Dear Friend,
On a very happy note and bearing in mind the staunch commitment that you had put into the quest to see that the fund was transferred to you for claim as we had arranged but to no avail, I write to inform you that at last, the fund transfer had been successful. Since all our effort in conjunction with yours were met with various failures and disappointments after the other, there was an influential party from Serbia, southeastern Europe that was approached on our behalf by a Finance & Management Supports Initiatives(a consulting firm); and with her (influential party) imputes, the fund was paid out and I have collected my own share. Presently, I am in Malaysia where, in partnership with a core investor in the Mining Sector of their economy, we are investing in the industry. But, I am not oblivious of the fact that you did your best in that context, although, it seem that element of doubt crept in.
You were not to blame, as there were many circumstances that would reflect such skepticism to any reasonable being. For your sincere but unfruitful sacrifices, I pressurized the influential woman to concede some amount as compensation to you, for the resource that you impinged even the time and inconveniences. The sum of US$850,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty thousand United States dollars) only was what she agreed to as your compensation value, and the sum was made in international certified bank draft but, because of my appointment in Japan and too, I could not get through to you since your number at any time indicated "not in use", I then handed it over to my secretary.
His name is Mr. Gustavo Daniel and his email (gustavd1408@gmail.com) my secretary is very much informed by me about you and I instructed him to hand over the international certified bank draft to you as soon as you contact him. I gave him the CODE INTD850, which you have to mention for identification. When you receive it,inform me.
Yours Sincerely,Lanre Williams

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam