419 scam: "Mr. Edward Collinsl" <alisajones@optusnet.com.au> GOOD MORNING

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "very 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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Edward Collinsl" <alisajones@optusnet.com.au>
Reply-To: ps2621874@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2023 08:16:30 -0800
Subject: GOOD MORNING

Dear friend

Mr. Edward Collins is my name,a banker here in SPAIN . I write you this very confidential proposal in good faith hoping that I will rely on you. In 2010, Mr. Othman M. Ayaso who hails from your country as his place of origin/birth,, made a fixed deposit, valued at ? 12,200,000.00 (Twelve million Two hundred thousand Euros) with our bank in SPAIN. He was an oil merchant and an Engineering contractor.

Get back to me for more information.

Mr. Edward Collins.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam