419 scam: "Edward Harry Alonso Jnr" <no-reply@drivethrustuff.com> I HAVE DISCOVERED YOUR INHERITANCE***

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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)
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Edward Harry Alonso Jnr" <no-reply@drivethrustuff.com>
Reply-To: edwardharry@1email.eu
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2015 02:38:20 -0500
Subject: I HAVE DISCOVERED YOUR INHERITANCE***

>From Mr. Edward Harry Alonso Jnr.
Director of Audit and Investigations Department,
Halifax Bank, Spain
Dear Friend,
I am Mr Edward Harry Alonso. the director in charge of auditing and investigation, Halifax bank in Spain. I write to inform you that during my audit investigations, i found an abandoned huge sum of fund owned by your late relative. The owner of this fund is your relation because you have the same surname with the fund beneficiary who is now at large. The report written in the file of the fund owner shows he died some years ago. If he is truly your relative, swiftly get back to me.
I traced your last name through the internet when i could not ascertain the identity of the relations and next of kin of the dead customer of our bank.
Reply on this email if the said man is your relation for details of how we can release his abandoned fund to you without delay.If i can get through your private telephone number, i shall give you more confidential details regarding to his fund.
Yours
Edward Harry Alonso Jnr

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam