419 scam: "Mr Arthur Williams" <mr_arthurwilliams@yahoo.com.hk> DEAR FRIEND,

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand us dollars" (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)
- "% will be for you" (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.
- mrarthurwilliams@rediffmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Arthur Williams" <mr_arthurwilliams@yahoo.com.hk>
Reply-To: mrarthurwilliams@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:59:30 +0100
Subject: DEAR FRIEND,

DEAR FRIEND,

HOPEFULLY YOU'RE IN GOOD HEALTH,

I PRESUMED THAT ALL IS WELL WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.PLEASE LET THIS
NOT BE A SURPRISED MESSAGE TO YOU BECAUSE I GOT YOUR CONTACT
INFORMATION FROM THE INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY FEW WEEKS AGO BEFORE I
DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU ON THIS MAGNITUDE AND LUCRATIVE TRANSACTION FOR
OUR PRESENT AND FUTURE SURVIVAL IN LIFE. MOREOVER,I HAVE LAID ALL THE
SOLEMN TRUST IN YOU BEFORE I DECIDED TO DISCLOSE THIS SUCCSSFUL AND
CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION TO YOU.

I AM THE SENIOR AUDITOR INCHARGE OF FORIEGN REMITTANCE UNIT OF OUR
BANK AND I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU FOR THIS FINANCIAL TRANSACTION WORTH
TWENTY-TWO MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS (22.7M) FOR OUR
PRESENT AND FUTURE SUCCESS. THIS IS AN ABANDONED FUND THAT BELONGS TO
ONE OF OUR BANK FORIEGN CUSTOMERS WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE
FAMILY THROUGH PLANE CRASH FEW YEARS AGO.

MEANWHILE,I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO COME ACCROSS THE DECEASED FILE WHEN
I WAS ARRANGING THE OLD AND ABANDONED CUSTOMERS FILE IN OTHER TO SIGN
AND SUBMIT TO THE ENTIRE BANK MANAGEMENT FOR AN OFFICIAL RE
DOCUMENTATION AND AUDIT OF THE YEAR AGAINST 2011.

INFORMED CLEARLY THAT IT WAS STATED IN OUR FORIEGN BANKING RULES AND
REGULATIONS WHICH WAS SIGNED LAWFULLY THAT IF SUCH FUND REMAINS
UNCLAIMED TILL THE PERIOD OF TEN YEARS STARTED FROM THE DATE THE
BENEFICIARY DIED, THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE TREASURY AS
UNCLAIMED FUND HOWEVER, IT IS NOT AUTHORIZES BY THE RULES GUIDING OUR
BANK FOR A CITIZEN HERE TO MAKE THE CLAIM OF THE FUND
UNLESS YOU ARE A FORIEGNER NO MATTER THE COUNTRY.

SO THE REQUEST OF YOU AS A FORIEGNER IS NECESSARY TO APPLY FOR THE
CLAIM AND TRANSFER OF THE FUND SMOOTHLY INTO YOUR RELIABLE BANK
ACCOUNT AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED.WHEN THE FUND IS
TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT 35% WILL BE FOR YOU IN RESPECT OF ALL
YOUR ASSISTANCE FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AND
PROVISION OF THE BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THE BANK WILL REMIT THE FUND, 60%
WILL BE FOR ME BEING THE PIONEER OF THE BUSINESS WHILE THE REST 5%
WILL BE SHARED TO RESPECTABLE ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS CHARITY AND THE
DESTITUDES HOMES ARROUND US IN THE WORLD.

IF YOU ARE REALLY SURE OF YOUR TRUSTWORTHINESS,ACCOUNTABILITY AND
CONFIDENTIALITY ON THIS TRANSACTION, CONTACT ME AND ACCEPT NOT TO
CHANGE YOUR MIND TO CHEAT OR DISAPPOINT ME WHEN THE FUND IS
TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.SO REPLY FOR THE ASSURANCE WITH YOUR
TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS TO FACILITATE EASY COMMUNICATION. AS SOON AS
YOU REPLY, YOU NOTIFY ME SO THAT I WILL LET YOU KNOW THE NEXT STEP AND
PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW IN ORDER TO FINALIZE THIS TRANSACTION
SUCCESSFULLY.

I EXPECT YOUR URGENT COMMUNICATION.

YOURS SINCERELY,
MR.ARTHUR WILLIAMS,
EMAIL:mrarthurwilliams@rediffmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam