419 scam: "Prague Post Emailer" <webmaster@praguepost.com> Prague Post E-mail: Letters

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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:
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- +2347027931785
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.
- wmbnigeriplc@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Prague Post Emailer" <webmaster@praguepost.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: Jennifer Goodman <cy_david006@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:09:14 +0100 (CET)
Subject: Prague Post E-mail: Letters

Jennifer Goodman saw a story on the Prague Post Website (http://www.praguepost.com)
and thought you might enjoy it.

** Letters **

** Article Excerpt **
U.S.A. vs. EU?
Bill Cohn's article was a strange combination of true facts and bizarre conclusions ("Égalité and EU skepticism," Opinion, June 29Â–July 5). There is no sense of pessimism in the United States for the majority of people. Do we have problems? Of course. But unlike Europe, we still have the energy and the optimism that it takes to solve them.
Turn the tables, have Europe engaged in a war in Iraq while trying to defend the rest of the world, have Brussels devastated by a terrorist attack and the European trains all shut down because of the Madrid attack, and I dare say the response would not be half that of the United States, and the pessimism far greater.

read the whole article at http://www.praguepost.com/articles/2005/07/13/letters

** Message from Jennifer Goodman **
My Name is Mrs. Jennifer Goodman, the present branch Manager of a bank here in Nigeria West Africa. I discovered an account with total sum of $10.5 million that has not been operated on for the past 4 years.From my investigation,I found out that this account belongs to one Late Mr. Ziya Bazhayev a Russian big time Oildealer, who died on July 26, 2000. I am seeking your co -operation to present you as the next of kin to the account. Contact me so as to give you more details.
Thanks and Please, treat with utmost confidentiality. I wait your urgent response.

Regards,

Mrs. Jennifer Goodman.
Contact me on my alternative email: wmbnigeriplc@hotmail.com +2347027931785

Have a nice day!
The Prague Post

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam