419 scam: "mark alison"<no-reply@drivethrustuff.com> From Mr Mark Alison

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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.

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- "transfer into your 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)
- "million 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)
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "mark alison" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <markalison2014@1email.eu>
Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2015 11:01:55 -0500
Subject: From Mr Mark Alison

>From Mr Mike Allen
a banker in republic
of Ghana West Africa

Dear Friend

I am Mr Mark Alison. I am an accounting officer in foreign accounts department in our bank.

During one of our general auditing on 2012 in our Bank,My Department came across a very huge sum of money

(us$21.5 million dollars)Twenty one million five hundred thousand United state dollars,belonging to a
deceased customer of our Bank a Foreigner,who died in the plane crash on 2009 with other passengers
aboard.

Since then I have made several inquiries to foreign embassy here to locate any of our clients extended
relatives but this has proved unsuccessful.

After all these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over the Internet, to

locate any of his family member but of no avail. hence I contacted you for you are a foreigner as our

late customer.

I need your assistance in evacuation of the funds left behind by our client in the Bank before they get
confiscated or declared on-serviceable by the Government, because official, financial laws here stipulate
it that after five years any fund or assets deposited with bank/security firm without claim or servicing,

the money or assets will be divert to central bank as unclaimed bill. since I have been unsuccessful in
locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the
deceased since you are a Foreigner so that the proceeds of this deposit valued at us$21.5 million dollars
can be paid to you and we share the money, All necessary legal documents that can be used to back up the
claim will be processed and send to you for record purpose.

All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this
business will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law

both before and after the funds are approve and transfer into your account.

You have to assure me that you will not sit on the fund when it is finally claimed by you.

I will be Expecting your quick response to enable us proceed further on this claim.

My Best regards,

Mark Alison

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam