419 scam: Bernard Jonathan <bernardjonathan728@webmail.co.za> (no subject)

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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "my direct telephone number" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- carew057@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Bernard Jonathan <bernardjonathan728@webmail.co.za>
Reply-To: carew057@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sat, 09 Jan 2016 21:42:31 +0100
Subject:

Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Mr. Bernard Jonathan, the Manager, Credit and Foreign Bills
of STANDARD BANK. I am writing in respect of a foreign customer of
our bank with account number 908-00-556-455 whose name is Timothy
Chung, (Mr.), an American citizen who died in a plane crash [Korean
Air Flight 801] with the whole passengers on-board on August 6, 1997.

Since the demise of this customer, I personally have watched with keen
interest to see the next of kin but all has proved abortive as no
one has come to claim his funds of US$15.5M (Fifteen Million Five
Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) which has been with our
branch for a very long time. On this note, I decided to seek for
whom can act and represent as the Next of Kin. And the banking ethics
here does not allow such money to stay more than certain years
because the money will be recalled to the bank treasury as unclaimed
funds after the specified period stipulated by the bank and
government obligation.

In view of this I got your contact through an intensive inquiry when I
was making a research on a foreigner I will use in this great
opportunity to assist me receive this money for safe keeping and
investments as the total funds will be taken over by the bank as
provided in section 129 sub63 (N), Banking Edit act of 1961. For your
assistance I am willing to give you 25% of the total amount.

Upon the receipt of your response, I will send you by fax or mail the
letter of application which you will type sign and send back to me to
enable us start the process. I will not fail to bring to your notice
that this is hitch free and will be done within five banking days.
When you receive this mail, kindly call me on my direct telephone
number or reply by email (carew057@yahoo.com.hk) respectively. Please
do include your full names and your private tel/cell # for quick
communication.

Thank you and have a blessed day,

Yours Sincerely,

Bernard Jonathan.
carew057@yahoo.com.hk

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Anti-fraud resources:

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