419 scam: "Europol"<info@europol.eu> Please Be Informed ( Europol Notification )

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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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "rob.wainwright_europoldirector@yahoo.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Europol" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <robert_wainwrighteuropoldirector@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2013 13:34:21 +1100
Subject: Please Be Informed ( Europol Notification )

Europol (short for European Police Office)
P.O. Box 908 50
2509 LW The Hague
The Netherlands
Tel: (+44-7700052992)

Attention Please!

I am Rob Wainwright, director of Europol and newly appointed national security adviser to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Investigations and Asset Recovery Committee sitting presently in United Kingdom.

I wish to officially announce to you today that your name was released among the foreign beneficiaries approved by the above mentioned authorities to receive first part payment of One million United States Dollars ($1,200,000.00 USD). This might interest you to know that Europol in collaboration with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) was recently delegated to investigate and to genuinely manipulate all outstanding foreign contract/Inheritance payments and with-held funds transfer laying in some of the reported banks in West Africa, Europe and United Kingdom.

We have carefully scrutinize through this recovered funds and assets from the initial source and confirmed that your fund is legitimate of which you have the lawful right to receive. In such cases, we do not hesitate in contacting the rightful beneficiaries and ensure that they receive their over due payment lawfully through the assistance of the Europol Enforcement and IMF authority.

To respond to this e-mail, we advise that you reconfirm the following information stated below for confirmation and processing of your payment through the newly authorized banks in United Kingdom.

Full Name:
Full address:
Tel/Fax
Occupation:
Age/Marital Status
Next of Kin.

Thank you for your courtesy and time as We look forward to receiving your email and information.

Yours sincerely,
Rob Wainwright, Europol Director
Email: rob.wainwright_europoldirector@yahoo.cn
Tel: (+44-7700052992)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam