419 scam: "Dr. Charles Lopez" <lopez.c@qip.ru> Confirm Your Awareness

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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:
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a next of kin scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- foreignremittancedeptft@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Charles Lopez" <lopez.c@qip.ru>
Reply-To: <cleopez@clix.pt>
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2006 10:04:25 +0800
Subject: Confirm Your Awareness

HSBC BANK PLC MALAYSIA.(REGISTERED NO.1026167).
ADDRESS: BANGUNAN HSBC 2 LEBOH AMPANG
50130 KUALA LUMPUR, AMPANG, MALAYSIA.
Chairman Committee on Foreign Contracts And
Inheritance Fund Payment Notification
FROM: HSBC BANK MALAYSIA.

Attn: Beneficiary,

The U.S.A Government, World Bank And United Nations Organization Official has approved to pay you part
payment of your Contract/Inheritance Fund Payment in conjunction with the European Union and World
Bank Of Switzerland.

This International remittance department (HSBC BANK PLC MALAYSIA) was set up to discover an
outstanding & unpaid fund being owed to Governments or Individuals all over the world through Contract
Payment, Inheritance and Lottery Winning Prize Awards. Hence, the decision was taken last week. However,
with this development, a woman by name (MRS: JANET WHITE) came to our office with an application
stating that You gave her the power of attorney to be the beneficiary of your Outstanding
Contract/Inheritance/award funds.

She made us to believe that you are dead and that she is your next of kin. We got your email Address and
decided to send an email through this address hoping to find out if you are dead or alive. And also, to find
out if you had at any time given this woman the power of attorney to represent you. Please let us know
also if you are aware that we are almost ready to transfer part payment of $5.5m USD of your outstanding
funds to her nominated bank account stated below:

Bank Name: Bank Of America
Address:1723 Palmdale Bulv.
Palmdale Ca. 93550
Acct # : 00867-87680
Rout # : 026008391
Swift code # :Bofaus4N
Beneficiary: JANET WHITE

If you are not aware of the above instruction, do respond to this email Immediately by contacting the
Director of the International Remittance Department (HSBC MALAYSIA).His contact information is written
below:

Name: Mr. Rechard Lee
Email: foreignremittancedeptft@gmail.com
Tel: +60129161275

For immediate transfer of your funds be informed that you are not allowed to correspond or contact any
person or office with respect to this transfer other than this office, you are required to send to him an email
with your full following information below:

1) YOUR FULL NAME__________________
2) RESIDENCE ADDRESS, CITY, STATE AND
COUNTRY_______________________
3) PERSONAL CELL PHONE, FAX AND MOBILE PHONE
NUMBER_________________________

Yours Sincerely,

Dr. Charles Lopez.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam