419 scam: "THOMAS ZENITH" <brightaston@gmail.com> [***** SPAM 15.6 *****] GOOD DAY

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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:
- "million 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)
- "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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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.
- bright_aston@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "THOMAS ZENITH" <brightaston@gmail.com>
Reply-To: bright_aston@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 11 May 2013 15:31:01 +0200
Subject: [***** SPAM 15.6 *****] GOOD DAY

Good day Beneficiary,

This is in regard to Unpaid Foreign contractors and scam victims. Ecowas
Foreign Dept Settlement Investigation (EFDSI) and America, Asia and
European members of Finance Dept Settlement Board Committee have held a
parliament meeting in UK on the 1st of this month of May 2013 to pay all
the scam victims and next of kin to our foreign contractors who died in
plane crash in 2007 without receiving their contract payment. After the
meeting, this committee has mapped out USD$100,000.000.00Million to
compensate 40 individuals and institutions who their email address appears
on the list.

We gladly to inform you that your email address appears on the list, to be
receiving the sum of US$2,200.000.00 Million Dollars (Two Million Two
Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only) you have therefore been
approved to claim a total sum of $2,2MillionUSD in cash credited to file
no: ASVFC/02016/11. You shall be receiving your payment through Electric
System which is ATM VISA CREDIT CARD.

To claim your payment kindly send your information's list below to our
Foreign Payment Accountant Chief officer Mr. Bright Aston on this email:
bright_aston@yahoo.com

*Your Full Name:
*Current Residential Address:
*Occupation:
*Age:
*Mobile phone number:
*Fax:
*Gender:
*Payment File no:
*Driver License or Passport scan copy for identification:

Please quote your File no which are stated above and ensure that the data
is kept highly confidential until your claim processed and your funds are
released to you. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double
claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some
unscrupulous elements, equally to guard against non participant or
unofficial personnel taking undue advantage of this program.

Upon receipt of the above information's, Foreign Payment Accountant Chief
officer will furnish you on how to receive your payment within the next 72
hours in line with the regulation prescribed by the committee. Once again
Congratulation!!

Yours sincerely,
Dr. THOMAS ZENITH
Payment Notification officer.

Anti-fraud resources:

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