419 scam: "Dr. Michael Hook" <dr.michaelhook@yahoo.com.hk> Yours Sincerely,

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.
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- +2348167756212

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Michael Hook" <dr.michaelhook@yahoo.com.hk>
Reply-To: dr.michaelhook@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2014 10:21:16 -0400
Subject: Yours Sincerely,

INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF)
DEPT: WORLD DEBT RECONCILIATION AGENCIES.ADVISE:
YOUR OUTSTANDING PAYMENT NOTIFICATION.
+2348167756212

Your Long overdue Payment.

I saw your email ( in the Central Computer among the list of unpaid
contractors,inheritance next of kin and lotto beneficiaries that was
originated from Africa,Europe, Asia Plus Middle east, Americans ) among
the list of individuals and companies.

Your email appeared among the beneficiaries, who will receive a
part-payment of your contractual sum and has been approved already for
months. You are requested to get back to me for more direction and
instruction on how to receive your fund. However, we received an email
from one Mr. Paul Godwin month ago, who told us that he is your next of
kin and that you died in a car accident last week. He has also submitted
his account for us to transfer the fund to him including his International
passport, we want to hear from you before we can make the transfer to
confirm if you are dead or not. Please in confirmation that you are still
alive, you are advised to reconfirm the below listed information to enable
us facilitate an immediate payment for you and also be inform that you
shall not pay any transfer charges until your receive your fund into your
bank account.

And your fund is in barclays bank USA I will send you the contact info
but you have to send your full information before i will send you the
contact info.

Send you full information.

1 Your full names
2 Your present contact address.
3 Your telephone & Fax numbers.
4 Your Occupations/age/sex.
5 Your Private Email Address.
6 Home Equity (Yes or No)

Once again, I apologize to you on behalf Of IMF (International Monetary
Fund) for failure to pay your funds in time, which according to records in
the system had been long overdue.

Thanks,

Dr. Michael Hook.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam