419 scam: "Herr LEWIS AWELE" <herrawel@virgilio.it> =?iso-8859-1?Q?Gesch=E4ftsvorschlag!!!?=

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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:

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:
- ",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)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- herrawel@aim.com (AOL Instant Messenger; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Herr LEWIS AWELE" <herrawel@virgilio.it>
Reply-To: bankas27@aim.com
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:51:31 +0530 (IST)
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Gesch=E4ftsvorschlag!!!?=

--
Geschäftsvorschlag!!!

Ich vermute das diese E-Mail eine Überraschung für Sie sein wird, aber es
ist wahr.Ich bin bei einer routinen Überprüfung in meiner Bank (Union Bank
PLC von Süd Afrika) wo ich arbeite, auf einem Konto gestoßen, was nicht in
anspruch genommen worden ist, wo derzeit USD$18.5M (Achtzehn Million, Fünf
Hundert Tausend, US Dollar) gutgeschrieben sind. Dieses Konto gehörte
Herrn Peter Hartmann, der ein Kunde in unsere Bank war, der leider
verstorben ist. Herr Hartmann war ein gebürtiger Deutscher.

Damit es mir möglich ist dieses Geld $18,500,000 inanspruch zunehmen,
benötige ich die zusammenarbeit eines Ausländischen Partners wie Sie,den
ich als Verwandter und Erbe des verstorbenen Herrn Hartmann vorstellen
kann,damit wir das Geld inanspruch nehmen können. Für diese Unterstützung
erhalten Sie 30% der Erbschaftsumme und die restlichen 70% teile ich mir
mit meinen zwei Arbeitskollegen, die mich bei dieser Transaktion ebenfalls
unterstützen.Wenn Sie interessiert sind, können Sie mir bitte eine E-Mail
schicken, damit ich Ihnen mehr Details zukommen lassen kann. N.B.BITTE
SENDEN SIE MIR LEWIS AWELE ANTWORT ZU durch mein E-mail: (
herrawel@aim.com )fÜR VERTRAULICHEN GRUND. Schicken Sie keine POST ZU
MEINEM BÜRO-E-MAIL. If you understand english,please kindly reply with
english

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Herr LEWIS AWELE

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam