419 scam: "Eelco"<eelcosmither4@gmail.com> Email for 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:
- "good day friend" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "transferred into your bank account" (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)
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.
- eelcosmither@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Eelco" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <eelcosmither@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 14:22:11 +0200
Subject: Email for you.

Good Day Friend,

It is understandable that you might be a little bit apprehensive because you do not know me but I have a lucrative business proposal of mutual interest to share with you.

My name is Eelco Smither Sebastiaan, I work with the Finance Monetary Control Unit here in The Netherlands, we are responsible for checking foreign account holders in all the different banks here in Netherlands. I found your e-mail contact through my Country’s international Web directory.

During our last annual inspections of all the various accounts bank here in The Netherlands, my department found a score to settle with a huge sum of U.S. $4,500,000.00 (Four million five hundred U.S. Dollar) which was deposited by the now deceased Mr. Jerry R. Williams, an Australian citizen. From My investigations I discovered that the late Jerry R. Williams has no beneficiary or next of kin to claim his funds (U.S.$4.500.000,00) and the law of my country here in Netherlands is that when an account is inactive for more than eight 8 years the Authority has the right to confiscate the funds.

This funds are about to be confiscated if I do not take advantage of it. This is why I am contacting you to partner me in this once in a life-time business opportunity. All you need to do is to stand as the next of kin to the decease; my lawyer will process and provide all the relevant documents to that effect and the money will be transferred to your account in your country so that we can share it and invest it in profitable businesses.

All I need from you is for us to work together – just follow my instructions and strategy, and l will provide all the relevant information and documentations that will allow the said funds get transferred into your bank account legally without an hitch or a problem. I will give you the full explanation of this Business after you reply this email.

I am looking forward to hearing from you soon. Kindly reply this e-mail by writing directly to my private email: eelcosmither@gmail.com

Best regards,

Eelco Smither Sebastiaan.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam