419 scam: "Joost Lefu"<admin@mail.rail-travel.com.tw> RE:Kindly Confirm Receipt;

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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:
- "million united states 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)
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Joost Lefu" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lefulondon@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2012 05:03:21 -0700
Subject: RE:Kindly Confirm Receipt;

Hi,

I am Joost Lefu, Head of the Investment Management & Banking, Amalgamated Bank Of South Africa (ABSA). I am currently on official assignment here in United Kingdom. I am contacting you concerning a deceased and the investment he placed under our bank management some years ago. Before his untimely death, he made a deposit valued at 9.4 million United States dollars for twelve calendar months in my bank's branch.

The deceased died along with his supposed next of kin and ever since then no body came forward all these years. In accordance with the South African banking Laws at the expiration of 7 (Seven) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the government if nobody applies as the next of kin to claim the funds.

I, working with you can secure the funds in my bank for us instead of allowing my bank revert the funds to the government as unclaimed funds. If you are interested, kindly get back to me via email for more details and your percentage is negotiable.

Thanks,

Joost Lefu.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam