419 scam: "Simon Yi" <yisimon462@yahoo.com.hk> Re Benefit

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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)
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Simon Yi" <yisimon462@yahoo.com.hk>
Reply-To: yisimon132@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2012 05:51:39 -0300 (BRT)
Subject: Re Benefit

Dear friend,

I am Simon Yi Finance Director in the Prestige Banking section of Hang
Seng bank in Hong Kong.Permit me to ask for your utmost confidentiality in
these
matter I write to you about. I have been a top executive of this bank for
several years during which time I have handled a lot of private banking
activities for various people on behalf of the bank.

I write to you regarding the estate of Fattal Haider Hanon a Libyan
business man; an investment placed under our bankâ€™s management 5 years
ago.With accrued interest, his investment is now worth Seventeen Million
Three Hundred Thousand United State Dollars (USD 17,300,000). When Mr
Hanon failed to show up or send any instructions regarding the fund,
several notices were sent out and subsequent investigation by the bank
revealed that he and his family had been killed during the uprising in
Libya. Their home in Sirte had been destroyed by a bomb explosion. As
personal manager of his portfolio, I am aware that he has such deposit
with the bank with no nominated next of kin.

I propose that since I only have exclusive access to his file, I will add
your name to his file as his next of kin and you will be made the
beneficiary of the fund. Upon verification, which will be the details I
will make available to my bank, my bank will make payments to you. For
your assistance, your share will be 40%, and I shall fly over to your
country for my share. In the banking circle this happens every time,or the
money will revert back to the state. This is 100% risk free as all
documentations will make it legal and satisfy international banking laws.

This is a lifetime opportunity for us. I am a family man; I have a wife
and children. I send you this mail not without a measure of fear as to the
consequences,but I know within me that nothing ventured is nothing
gained.This is the one truth I have learned from my private banking
clients. For security reasons, contact me via email as I do intend to keep
this transaction as discreet as possible and would advice you do same.A
private email will be given to you as soon as you reply positively.

Regards,
Simon Yi

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam