419 scam: "ELLIOT MAC"<elliotmacdonald@hotmail.com> 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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "into your nominated bank account" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- macdonaldelliot@rocketmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "ELLIOT MAC" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <macdonaldelliot@rocketmail.com>
Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2012 00:32:46 +0430
Subject: DEAR FRIEND

Dear sir/madam,

To whom it may concern, I kindly want to put in notice before you, my name is Dr.Elliot Mac Donald a South Africa,
Before coming to India from UK I made transfer of one million two hundred thousand pounds sterling from Halifax
Bank London through the Bank of England to the Suspence account of Reserve bank of India for investment Purpose.
Two days after my arrival in India my partner died in a motor accident. He was to produce the account were in I was
suppose to transfer the money into. As I am writing this mail the money is still in the suspence account Waiting to be
transferred to a local account so that I can invest in India fast growing economy .
presently seeking for a reliable and trust worthy fellow to assist me of my late father money, which I transferred from t
he Bank of England to the Reserve Bank of India, for an investment purpose.

The said amount is one million two hundred thousand Great british pound sterling
(1.2 million gbp) I have done a reasonable research and find out that is not easy for a for
eigner to have an account for such a huge amount, so i want you as a citizen of India to as
sist me by producing your bank account to transfer this money into your nominated bank
account, and 15% will be offer to you for the work well done Please, if you are
interested do contact me as soon as possible. For proper verification here are the contact
numbers.

Thanks for your anticipated co. operation.
Regards

Dr.Elliot Mac Donald
Email:macdonaldelliot@rocketmail.com
Tel:+919819076487

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam