419 scam: "=?BIG5?B?vkeocaTr?=" <amy03124@smc.edu.tw> reply 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.

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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:
- "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)
- ",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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: mradamstaylor@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 2010 18:12:59 +0800
Subject: reply ASAP!!!

Attn:Beneficiary,

On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Gen. Farden
Benson ; I once again try to notify you as my earlier letter was returned
undelivered. I hereby attempt to reach you again by this same email address
stated on the WILL. I wish to notify you that late
Gen. Farden Benson made you a beneficiary to his WILL. He left the sum of
Twelve million three hundred and forty thousand six hundred and fifty
Britishpound sterling (12,340,650.00 GBP) Equivalently Twenty Four millions
Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars ($24,500,000.00 USD) to you in the
codicil and last testament to his WILL.

Please endeavour to get back to me as soon as possible to enable me
conclude my job.

Yours in Service,
ADAMS TEYLOR.
(Senior Principal Partner).

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam