Once upon a time, most scam messages were long and elaborate, full of detailed stories about dying widows, rich orphans, and deposed dictators. More recently, email fraudsters have taken to sending what I call “mystery scam” messages. The example below, like all such mystery scam messages, tries to do just one thing: get you on the hook so the scammer can manipulate you further:
From: Marcel Nijenhuis M.Nijenhuis@ggnet.nl
Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2015
Subject: Donation To You
Personal Donation of $2M To You, Contact ( r_randall1@aol.co.uk ) for Info, Please do not ignore, this is the third time trying to reach you.
Disclaimer: Dit e-mailbericht is uitsluitend bestemd voor de geadresseerde en kan privacygevoelige informatie bevatten. Als dit bericht niet voor u bestemd is, wilt u dit dan aan de afzender melden?
If you make the mistake of responding, the scammer will try to manipulate you into sending money to him, and then after picking your pocket he’ll disappear. Study the resources we have here at ScamHunter.org so you can learn to recognize and avoid scams like these.
There seem to be an awful lot of wealthy widows dying of cancer these days, and they all want to give their fortunes to you! “Mrs. Bernhard” is just the latest example of the type, and her message contains all the familiar features: a wish for confidentiality, a play on your humanitarian impulses (and your desire for money), and a request that you contact her private attorney to seal the deal. And if they want an advance fee? Well, what’s a thousand or two when millions will soon be in your hands!
from Mrs. Margriet Bernhard automailerbox@rediffmail.com
reply-to deabogado@aim.com
date Mon, Oct 11, 2010 at 11:00 AM
subject Carefully Read This Mail
Hello Dear,
My warm greetings to you. Do take this email as real and contribution to humanity development. This is not an easy task due to my health condition and that is the main reason why I contacted you after viewing your profile from the international directory. Not actually that you are the best with my intellectual grading but I was driven to contact you from the innermost being. And that was my main reason for getting to you. Please do not be offended and I will understand completely if you cannot be of assistance to me.
My name is Mrs.Margriet Bernhard; I am a dying woman who has decided to donate what I have to you for humanity services. I am 58 years old (Netherlands Citizen) and I was diagnosed for cancer for about 1 years ago immediately after the death of my husband who has left me everything he worked for and because the doctors told me I will not live longer than some weeks because of my health.
I decided to WILL/donate the sum of $5,500 000 (Five million, five hundred thousand dollars) to you for the good work of humanity and also to help the motherless and less privilege and also for the assistance of the widows.I wish you all the best and may the good Lord bless you abundantly and please use the funds well and always extend the good work to others.
Here is the Contact information of my Attorney below:
Asesoria Cortijo
Notario & Tribunal
Mr.Martinez Pedro
Phone:+34-687-665-538
Email:deabogado@aim.com
and tell him that I have WILLED $5,500 000 (Five million, five hundred thousand dollars) to you and I have also notified him. I know I don’t know you but I have been directed to do this.
NB: I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the task is accomplished as i don’t want anything that will jeopardize my wishes.
From Mrs. Margriet Bernhard
Here at the Scam Hunter (scamhunter.org) we document scam messages like the one above in order to help people around the world stay safe from online frauds and scams.
Scammers depend on public ignorance to keep their scams alive. Please share our scam alerts with your friends, family, and coworkers today.
This is a standard advance-fee scam letter, spinning its story around a supposed car crash victim (instead of the more usual plane crash victim). “John Stendahl LLP” (or is it LLB?), the supposed victim’s supposed attorney, wants to cut you in on a piece of the abandoned fortune. If you play along you’ll just end up enriching “Mr. Stendahl” and impoverishing yourself.
from: Mr.John Stendahl LLP samarsingh@hathway.com
reply-to: johnstendahlmr@aol.nl
date: Tue, Oct 13, 2009 at 4:09 PM
subject: Hello..
Hello,
I seek your assistance on a business transaction that will be of mutual benefits.Please, read below the details of this transaction and what is required of you to get this transaction started: Mr. Mr. Gregory John Kenzig was my client for over a decade. He died in a auto accident in June 2007. He had a deposit in the sum of US$15M with a finance firm in the Netherlands .
I, as the attorney to late Mr. Gregory John Kenzig is the only person that knows about the investment I did on his behalf in a Finance house in Netherlands . I have contacted you so I can present you to the finance firm as the beneficiary of the US$15M.
If you are interested in carrying out this viable transaction with me, you are to email me your full name, address, telephone and fax number; I will prepare, sign and email you a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for you to sign and email or fax a copy back to me. The MOU as an agreement will state the sharing ratio. It will also state that none of the proceeds will be used for any illegal activity. After we both sign the MOU, I will then obtain the letter of administration from the probate office thereby making you the bona fide beneficiary of the funds.
I will forward to the Finance Company where the funds are deposited, the letter of administration and a covering letter from my firm, stating I was instructed by the late Gregory John Kenzig to transfer the title to the US$15M to you.
The Finance company will then contact you to let you know the funds have been approved for transfer into your account. The finance company will invite you to come over to their office to sign the funds release documents.
When the funds are transferred into your nominated account, I will then travel to meet with you to share the proceeds. I will take 80% and you will take 20%.I will exhort you to treat this transaction with the dedication it deserves. The need for absolute confidentiality in this transaction cannot be over emphasized.
I have perfected the modalities for the transfer and I assure you it will be 100% hitch free as long as you follow my instruction.
Thank you and God bless.
Yours sincerely
John Stendahl LLB.
johnstendahlmr@aol.nl
Here at the Scam Hunter website (scamhunter.org) we document scam messages like the one above in order to help people stay safe from online frauds and scams.
Scammers depend on public ignorance to keep their scams alive. Please share our scam alerts with your friends, family, and coworkers today.
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No legitimate lottery awards prizes to random people who haven’t bought tickets. If you didn’t enter, you haven’t won. That’s the simple rule to remember when you receive a “you have won the jackpot” message from a potential scammer.There is a real Euro Millions lottery, and they sell tickets online. But unless you buy one you can’t win, and even if you were to win after buying a legitimate ticket, it’s up to you to contact them; they won’t email you.
from: Euro Millions Lottery (masconsultant@terra.es)
reply-to: euromillionlottorg@gmail.com
date: Tue, Sep 29, 2009 at 10:37 PM
subject: EURO MILLIONS LOTTERY WINNER !!!!!!!!!!
EURO MILLIONS LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL.
www.euro-millions.com
FROM: GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSED LOTTERY.
Dear Winner,
We are pleased to notify you that your email address attached to winning ticket number: 01828763KNS has won the sum of 1,000,000.00 Euro from our weekly Euro Millions Promotion held on 15Th September 2009,and results was released today 20Th September 2009, You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of EUR 1,000.00.00 (ONE MILLION EUROS).
All beneficiaries email addresses were selected randomly from over 100,000 internet websites, mini mart shops cash invoice around the world. Be Informed that no ticket were sold,
To file in for the processing and release of your winning sum of Ђ 1,000,000.00 (One Million Euros) you are advised to immediately contact our accredited claims agent with the information stated below:
***************************************
1.Agent Name: Mr. John Raymer
2.Agent Email: claimsoffices@aol.nl
3.Agent Tel/Fax: +31 84 755 2015
***************************************
***************************************
All winnings must be claimed not later than 14 days;
Congratulations once again from all staff and board members of EURO MILLION LOTTERY COMPANY. Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of confidentiality,and press anonymity until the end of proceedings,and beyond where they so desire.Be further advised to maintain the strictest level of confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems associated with fraudulent claims.This is a part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Sincerely,
Dr.(Mrs.) Rose Johnson
Online Co-ordinator
www.euro-millions.com
Please be aware that scammers often use the names of real people and legitimate businesses in their fraudulent messages. Why? To lend an air of legitimacy to their criminal enterprise. Just because the name of a real person or a real bank or a real government agency appears in a scam message that doesn't mean the person or organization in question is involved in the scam in any way. The scammers are just stealing these names in order to make themselves look legitimate.
