419 scam: "JurgenSterk" <jurgen444sterk@yahoo.com> From Jurgen

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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.
This email message is a "dying merchant" 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.
- jurgen_sterk@walla.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "JurgenSterk" <jurgen444sterk@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: <jurgen_sterk@walla.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 18:38:40 +0100
Subject: From Jurgen

Hello,

My name is JURGEN STERK, a Swedish national I have been diagnosed with
Esophageal cancer. It has defiled all forms of medical treatment, right
now I have only about a few months to live, according to medical experts.
I have not particularly lived mylife so well, as I never really cared for
anyone (not even myself) but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never
generous, I was always hostile to people and only focused on my business
as that was the only thing I cared for. But now I regret all this as I now
know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money
in the world.

As i lay on my hospital bed, i have been abandoned by my family and friends.
All they care about is my money which i have made a mistake to entrust to them.

However unknown to them, i had $8,350,000.00 Eight Million Three Hundred and Fifty thousand
Dollars kept in a safe deposit with a securities firm in Europe. This is why i am contacting you.
I do not want my family members to know about this money.
All i ask is that i make you the beneficiary of this money and that you please help
me distribute it to some charities. For this i am willing to entrust you with all the
money and hope that 20% will be okay as a reward for all your troubles.

I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul so, I have
decided to give alms to charity organizations. As i lie dieing on my hospital bed
I have been able to secure the use of a computer please get back to me on this email address
as i try very hard to make this a secret from my family.

Jurgen_sterk@walla.com

I await your prompt response.

Thanks,
JURGEN STERK

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam