419 scam: Mr Mark Anderson <mail.info953@virgilio.it> ATTN:BENEFICIARY, Good Day

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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:
- "to 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)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "international remittance department" (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.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447035932215 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
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.
- mailinfo204@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Mark Anderson <mail.info953@virgilio.it> (may be fake)
Reply-To: markandersonn@hotmail.co.uk
Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2012 04:45:11 +0900 (JST)
Subject: ATTN:BENEFICIARY, Good Day

ATTN:BENEFICIARY, ,

THE U.S.A GOVERNMENT, WORLD BANK AND UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION OFFICIAL HAS APPROVED TO PAY YOU PART PAYMENT OF YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE AND LOTTO FUND PAYMENT VALUED AT USD$5.5M IN CONJUNCTION WITH BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND CITY BANK LONDON.

THIS DECISION WAS MADE LAST WEEK.WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT, A WOMAN BY NAME (MRS: JANET WHITE) CAME TO OUR OFFICE WITH AN APPLICATION STATING THAT YOU GAVE HER THE POWER OF ATTORNEY TO BE THE BENEFICIARY OF YOUR OUTSTANDING CONTRACT/INHERITANCE/AWARD FUNDS.SHE MADE US TO BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE DEAD AND THAT SHE IS YOUR NEXT OF KIN. WE GOT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND DECIDED TO SEND AN EMAIL THROUGH THIS ADDRESS HOPING TO FIND OUT IF YOU ARE DEAD OR ALIVE AND ALSO TO FIND OUT IF YOU AT ANY TIME GAVE THIS WOMAN THE POWER OF ATTORNEY TO REPRESENT YOU.

PLEASE LET US KNOW ALSO IF YOU ARE AWARE THAT WE ARE ALMOST READY TO TRANSFER PART PAYMENT OF $5.5M USD OF YOUR OUTSTANDING FUNDS TO HER NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT STATED BELOW:

BANK NAME:WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK
ADDRESS:1723 PALMDALE BULV.
PALMDALE CA. 93550
ACCT # : 3573813158
ROUT # : 322271627
SWIFT CODE # : WMSBUS66
BENEFICIARY:JANET WHITE

IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF THE ABOVE INSTRUCTION, DO RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL IMMEDIATELY BY CONTACTING THE CHAIRMAN OF THE INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT (MR.DOUGLAS FLINT)

HIS CONTACT INFORMATION ARE WRITTEN BELOW:
NAME:MR.DOUGLAS FLINT.
DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER:+44-7035932215
FAX NUMBER:+44-704-572-0490
EMAIL: mailinfo204@yahoo.co.jp

BE INFORM THAT YOUR FUND HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THIS BANK FOR IMMEDIATE TRANSFER TO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT THROUGH TELEGRAPHIC TRANSFER (TT).

THEREFORE YOU ARE HEREBY ADVISED AS A MATTER OF URGENCY TO STOP ALL COMMUNICATION WITH WHOSOEVER YOU ARE DEALING WITH TO ENABLE US MAKE A HITCH FREE TRANSFER TO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT AND TO AVOID THE CANCELLATION OF YOUR FUND.

BE INFORMED THAT THERE IS NO MONEY GOING OUT OF UNITED KINGDOM WITHOUT AN EXPRESS APPROVAL FROM MY OFFICE (CITY BANK LONDON), SO YOUR URGENT RESPONSE IS HIGHLY NEEDED BY YOU THE BONAFIDE BENEFICIARY.YOU ARE HEREBY ADVISED TO RECONFIRM THE FOLLOWING PARTICULARS:

1) YOUR FULL NAME/TELEPHONE/FAX NUMBERS.
2) YOUR BANK NAME/ADDRESS/TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS.
3) YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER, ROUT # SWIFT CODE #/ETC.
4) YOUR AGE AND OCCUPATIONS.

THE ABOVE PARTICULARS IS FOR PROPER IDENTIFICATION,AS IT MAY BE, YOUR FUND WILL BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY VIA TELEGRAPHIC TRANSFER ON CONFIRMATION OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION REQUIRED BY YOU.

ON THE CONFIRMATION OF THE ABOVE REQUIRED INFORMATIONS FROM YOU, I WILL BE SENDING A TELEX CONFIRMATION PAYMENT SLIP AND A TRANSFER INFORMATION TO YOU TODAY IN REGARDS TO YOUR FUND.

BE INFORMED THAT YOU ARE TO TAKE THE TELEX SLIP ALONG WITH YOU TO YOUR BANK MANAGER FOR ONWARD CONFIRMATION TO SHOW THE AUTHENTICITY THAT YOUR MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERED TO YOUR ACCOUNT

CALL ME IMMEDIATELY ON THE RECEIPT OF THIS MESSAGE AND YOUR INFORMATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING E-MAIL FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON WHEN YOUR FUND WILL BE WIRED TO YOUR ACCOUNT.

WE AWAIT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE AND TELEPHONE CALL

Yours Sincerely,

Mr Mark Anderson
CITY BANK LONDON

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam