419 scam: Mark Luke <pauldavies002@att.net> Pls. kindly respond asap

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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:

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:
- ",500,000" (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)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- markluke@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mark Luke <pauldavies002@att.net>
Reply-To: markluke@sify.com
Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:10:19 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Pls. kindly respond asap

Sir,

RE: REQUEST FOR YOU TO STAND AS A NEXT OF KIN TO TRANSFER US$10.5
MILLION TO YOUR PRIVATE/COMPANY ACCOUNT.

I was mandated by the Managing Director of Investec Bank South Africa, to ascertain your interest and capability to Co-operate with us in actualizing this highly rewarding project on transfer of funds to your country.

Are you willing to be presented as the bonafide next of kin to Mr. Morris Miller, a crude oil merchant from Australia. Until his untimely death by the Tsunami Disaster in Indonesia, Mr. Miller operated a fixed Deposit account of TWENTY FOUR Million Two hundred thousand U.S Dollar(US$10,500,000.00) with our bank.

After his death, the Bank made frantic efforts to contact the immediate families in Australia in order to re-claim and transfer the ownership of the fund. Unfortunately, the Bank discovered recently that the immediate families of the depositor Mr. Miller were also drastically affected by thesame Tsunami while on holidays. Apparently, the fund is
now in full custody of the Bank.

After a very serious survey, I and the CEO of the Bank decided to repatriate this fund to a trustworthy and reliable Overseas bank account for high yield investment Port-folios. The modality of disbursing the fund will be discussed fully with the Bank-Account owner/provider, which we are offering you.

All the documents empowering you to be Next of Kin/Beneficiary of the fund will be perfectly secured in your name if you are interested in helping us secure the fund. Transfer of this fund can be swiftly and successfully implemented within 14 bank working days if you provide the necessary overseas infrastructure required to realize the objective.

Please protect my position in my bank by keeping everything secret and confidential until we transfer this funds to you.

Before we commence, you are required to send the undermentioned informations:

(1) YOUR FULL NAMES AND ADDRESS.
(2) DIRECT CONTACT TEL/FAX NUMBERS.
(3) OCCUPATION AND NATIONALITY.

Be kind enough to confirm the receipt of this message for more clarification. Please send your reply strictly on this email: markluke@sify.com

Awaiting your reply.

Sincerely,

Mr. Mark Luke

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam