419 scam: "Barbara Carlino" <barbara@danys-lavazza.ch> Hoping to hear from you.

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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:
- "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 state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "my names are " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- mrricklarson@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barbara Carlino" <barbara@danys-lavazza.ch>
Reply-To: mrricklarson@aim.com
Date: Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:15:48 +0100
Subject: Hoping to hear from you.

Dear Beloved.

My names are Mr.Rick Larson from New Zealand, I worked with British embassy in
London for twelve years before I fell sick September 2009 and during the
process I lost my wife and my only son, since then I have been on medical
treatment after which it was confirmed by my doctor that I have cancer in
October, I was told by my doctor that, because of the pains I am passing
through, he instructed that something has to be done as soon as possible for
me to stay alive.

I do not know if I am going to survive this illness, since my wife and my only
son is no more, so I have decided to donate all my savings for the work of
God, so I want to donate the sum of 7.2 Million Dollars (Seven Million Two
Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) to a church or better still a Christian
individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct here
in, I want a church or a Christian individual that will use these funds to
fund orphanage homes help the needy and widows, including reasonable business
investment to keep the long terms needs of the needy and to ensure that the
house of God is maintained.

Bible made us to understand that givers never lack and blessed is the hand
that gives, I want you to read this verse to the end, because it is my
favorite verse in bible (John 14 to the end). If you are a Christian and
interested in what I have explain herein, I want you to respond back to me as
soon as possible, as soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact
details to contact my account officer on my behalf and receive my funds, I am
doing all this because the bible made us to understand that, Whoever that
wants to serve the Lord must serve him in spirit and truth, please I want you
and the church to always pray for me because the lord is my shepherd, my
happiness is that I lived a life of a worthy Christian, please always be
prayerful all through your life, please assure me that you will act
accordingly as I stated herein, hoping to hear from you.

I have set aside 10% for your assistance and time effort for standing on my
behalf to transfer my funds from the bank and also for carrying out the
charity project I instructed earlier, Remain blessed in the name of the Lord.

Yours in Christ,

Mr.Rick Larson
CONTACT ME ON MY PERSONAL EMAIL: mrricklarson@aim.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam