419 scam: Charles Koch <noreply@bayernkraft.by> Your immediate attention is required.

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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:

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:
- ",000,000" (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.
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.
- charleskoch718@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: Charles Koch <noreply@bayernkraft.by>
Reply-To: <charleskoch718@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2023 21:36:44 +0100
Subject: Your immediate attention is required.

Hello, my name is Mr. Charles Koch. I am the elder brother of Mr. David Ham=
ilton Koch, who was a philanthropist and the founder of Koch Industries, on=
e of the largest private foundations in the world. David Hamilton died in 2=
019. Mr. David Hamilton Koch was a firm believer in giving while he was sti=
ll alive. He had one idea that he never changed: you should use your wealth=
to help other people. Before he died on August 23, 2019, he decided to giv=
e USD2,000,000,000,000 to randomly selected people around the world.
You should consider yourself fortunate for receiving this email. Please re=
spond as soon as possible so that I can verify that your email address is l=
egitimate. To learn more about the Hamilton Foundation and this grant, plea=
se contact me at charleskoch718@aol.com
. You can also visit the website of the late Mr. David Hamilton Koch: Regar=
ds, Mr. Charles Koch, On behalf of the Family http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/=
David_H._Koch

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam