419 scam: "Mr. George Wilson."<georgewilsonlegal@googlemail.com> FOR YOU AND YOU ALONE.

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million pounds" (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)
- "my direct telephone number" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
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.
- georgewilsonlegal@googlemail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- officer, barack obama campaign office. e-mail: georgewilsonlegal@googlemail.com georgewilsonlegal@hotmail.com (Googlemail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. George Wilson." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <georgewilsonlegal@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 16 May 2010 01:27:17 -0700
Subject: FOR YOU AND YOU ALONE.

Dear Friend,

This letter is not intended to cause any embarrassment in whatever form, rather is compelled to contact your esteemed self, following the knowledge of your high repute and trustworthiness.

I am Mr. George Wilson., Chief Campaign Officer of the PRINCIPAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE OF DEMOCRATS: OBAMA 2014 INC ID: C00411934.

I write to seek your sincere assistance in transferring the sum of ?10M GBP 10 million Pounds sterling.

I discovered my office has some excess funds amounting too 10 million Pounds recovered from donations and grants from democrats around the world during our election campaign and pleas for support for our incumbent president Barack
Hussein Obama, According to plans, The excess funds was to used in clearing debts owed by Mrs Hillary Clinton during her campaign programs,I taught there is a better way of expending this funds.I want this money to be used to alleviate the poverty and sufferings of children in Iraq and Africa and donate to Charity organizations around the world.

My plea to you is that you assist me get this funds out of the United Kingdom where it is presently lodged safe and for your assistance ,you will have a fair percentage of the total money and all investments shall be under your supervision.

This simple transfer process could be arranged in less than 3 working days.

I await your sincere response,
I WILL GIVE YOU MY DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER ONCE WE YOUR ACCEPTANCE REPLY E-MAIL HAS BEEN RECEIVE BY ME.

Mr. George Wilson.
Chief Campaign Officer,
Barack Obama Campaign Office.
E-MAIL: georgewilsonlegal@googlemail.com
georgewilsonlegal@hotmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam