419 scam: "DUNCAN"<be44447587@att.net> My Dear,

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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:
- "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "abidjan" (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: "DUNCAN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <belladuncan2011@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2011 12:34:38 +0200
Subject: My Dear,

My Dear,

Permit me to inform you of my desire of going into business relationship with you. I know this mail may come to you as a surprise, since we have not known or written before.
I am Miss Bella Duncan, the Only Daughter of the late Gavin Duncan, my father was a gold and cocoa merchant based in Accra Ghana and Abidjan ( CoteDIvoire ) and he was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their business trips recently.Before his death, he called me bedside him and told me that he has the sum of $6.500, 000USD deposited in one of the prime bank here in Abidjan ( CoteDIvoire ) that he used my name being the only Daughter as the next of kin in deposited fund.

Moreover, I am willing to offer you 15% of the total sum as compensation for your effort/input after the successful transfer of this fund to your nominated account overseas.
Reply to my private e-mail box below for more details and more of my photo ad the documents of prove of the deposited money .
Awaiting your urgent reply.

Regards,
Miss Bella Duncan

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam