419 scam: "Compliments"<olivier_dupont@laposte.net> Please Get Back to me Urgently

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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 united states 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)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Compliments" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <stevenchowkho@fastservice.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Jan 2002 14:19:14 -0800
Subject: Please Get Back to me Urgently

Dear Respectful Partner,

I am Mr Steven Chow Kho From South Korea, I am a Banker with one of the reputable Banks here in
Malaysia.

I am writing you from my office that will be of an immense benefit to both of us.I discovered an abandoned
sum of (Twenty Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in an account that
belongs to one of our foreign customers Late Mr. Ost Bob, an American citizen who unfortunately lost his life in the plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed on January 31 2000, including his wife and only daughter.

Permit me to present you as the next of kin/Will Beneficiary to the deceased so that the proceeds of this
account can be paid to your Account for our mutual benefits and Investment in
your Country.This will be disbursed or shared in these percentages, 50% to me and 50% to you.

You shall read more about the crash on visiting this site. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Airlines_
Flight_261#Passengers

Please, provide me the following,through my private email address: stevenchowkho@fastservice.com as we
have 7 days to run it through.
This is very very URGENT PLEASE.

1. Full Name.
2. Your Direct Mobile Number.
3. Your Contact Address.

Regards,
Mr Steven Chow Kho
Private: stevenchowkho@fastservice.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam