419 scam: "European Financial Investment Limited."<Patrickowen@investment.net> HELLO

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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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
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.
- patrickowens76@aol.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "European Financial Investment Limited." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <patrickowens76@aol.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2010 06:25:39 -0700
Subject: HELLO

Ref: E.DRC//N.T/EFIL/2010 Date: 29/06/2010

Attn: President

Sir/Madam,

I have a client who would like to invest in your country, and am currently seeking for a reliable person to assist in facilitating the project, so this prompts me to contact you for possible interest.

The total amount in question is US$49.3 Million (Forty-nine Million Three hundred Thousand United States Dollars), and it is presently deposited in a financial security company vault. So my client, being a known political figure in Russia (RU), handed me this project and warned that he would want his name to remain a top secret.

Subsequently, you are to assist in the following areas:

(1) Assist in investing of the said Amount
(2) Advise on lucrative areas of Investment
(3) Assist also in purchase of Properties.

If the proposal interests you, please call or send me an email so that we can arrange on how to move the fund to your country.

For your effort and support in the transaction, we have agreed to offer you 30% of total sum of the fund (US$49.3Million) as your interest.

Note: If you know that you do have the wealth of experience to be able to handle a project of this nature please do get in touch with the under sign for more details and if you know you are not capable or interested PLEASE do IGNORE this email.

Best regards,

Mr. Patrick Owens
Head of Assets Management
European Financial Investment Limited.

Email: patrickowens76@aol.co.uk

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam