419 scam: "Dear Friend." <ad.davis89@yahoo.com.ph> (no subject)

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "dormant account" (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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Dear Friend." <ad.davis89@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: "Dear Friend." <andrewdavis233@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2011 21:35:50 +0800 (SGT)
Subject:

Dear Friend,

Its just my urgent need for foreign partner that made me contact you for this transaction. I am a banker by profession from top bank and currently holding the post of Auditor general in my Department.

Here in Ghana we have lots of local Gold miners , they are mostly illiterates, that lived in the village.As a banker, I once took a capital from a dormant account in my bank, and i bought a Gold dust from a local Gold miner in the village and sold it to an American Gold merchant by name Michael J Reins(now late).

After the sales, i realise a profit of $4.5million but because of the banking rules and regulation, i cannot keep the money in bank account or in my possession , so i asked the Gold buyer Late Mr.Michael J Reins to deposit the money in our escrow call deposit account for onward transfer to a foreign bank account in other to further business investment abroad.

All i need from you is, your partnership understanding, so that together we can both execute this transaction harmoniously and the fund will be wired and relocated into your bank account. You can call me on my private number +233542674073 or include your phone number so that i will call you and brief you more.

I wait on your reply
Andrew Davis.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam