419 scam: Bernard Russell <BernardRusse@aim.com> Greetings

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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)
- "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)
- "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.
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.
- dijkvanmichan@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: Bernard Russell <BernardRusse@aim.com>
Reply-To: BernardRussel@aim.com
Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 03:34:44 -0600
Subject: Greetings

Greetings

My name is Dijk Van Michan, I work with the Finance Monetary auditing
Unit here in the Netherlands,we are in charge of auditing foriegn
account holders in all various banks here in Netherlands. I found your
contact email address through my countrie international Web directory.

During our last annual inspections of all various bank accounts here
in the Netherlands, My department found a dormant account with an
enormous sum of US$ 6,500,000.00 (Six Million Five Hundred Thousand US
Dollar) which was

deposited by one late Mr.Jerry R. Williams a British citizen.From My
investigation I found out that the late Jerry R.Williams has no
beneficiary or next of kin to claim these

Funds.(US$ 6,500,000.00)and to the law of my country here in
Netherlands when an account is dormant for more than eight 8 years the
authority has every tendency to confisticate the account,this is why
am contacting you to stand for me as the next of kin or beneficiary to
this account decease since you are not a Netherlands citizen, with all
support proof documents to show for it with the help of my lawyer upon
hearing from you.

I will need us to work together if you are interested, and I assure
you that I will provide all useful information?s and documentation
that we enable us transfer this funds into your bank account legally
without any problem.I would explain better to you on phone
conversation upon hearing from you as I wait to hear from you soon.

Kindly write me directly with your contacts on my private
email:dijkvanmichan@aol.com

Best Regards,

Dijk Van Michan

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam