419 scam: Basyl Martyniuk <mma142@msstate.edu> VERY IMPORTANT

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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:
- "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)
- "keep this confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
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.
- basylmartyniuk@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: basylmartyniuk@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 08:09:01 +0100
Subject: VERY IMPORTANT

Hello,

I am Basyl Martyniuk the Assistant Administration Manager, Investment Fund
Services at Hang Seng Bank China. Please keep this confidential as I
contact you independently. I write you regarding the estate of Alfred and
an investment placed under our bank's management 5 years ago. In 2005, the
subject matter, came to our bank to engage in business discussions with our
private banking unit. He informed us that he had a financial portfolio of
14.5 million United States Dollars, which he wished to have us invest on
his behalf. Based on my advice, we spun the money around various
opportunities and made attractive margins for our first months of
operation, the accrued profit and interest stood at this point at over 10
million United States Dollars. In mid 2007, he instructed that the
principal sum (14.5M) be liquidated because he needed to make an urgent
investment requiring cash payments in Hong Kong and China. We got in touch
with a specialist bank in Hong Kong, Fubon Bank who agreed to receive this
money for a fee and make cash available.

Fubon Bank Ltd. got in touch with us last year that this money has not been
claimed. On further enquiries we found out that Alfred was involved in an
accident in Mainland China, which means he died intestate. He has no next
of kin and the reason I am writing you is because due to our code of
conduct we are not allowed to show personal interest on funds of this
nature, hence I decided to contact you due to the fact that you are based
abroad.

What I propose is that since I have exclusive access to his file, you will
be made the beneficiary of these funds. I will put everything in place
legally. On verification, which will be the details I make available to my
bank, my bank will instruct Fubon Bank to make payments to you. For all
your troubles I propose that we split the money in half 50% each. I assure
you that there is no risk involved on your part.

I will supply you more information to proceed as soon as I hear back from
you. If you have any questions feel free to ask. at my private email:
basylmartyniuk@gmail.com

I await your response.

Thank you in anticipation.

Basyl Martyniuk

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam