419 scam: " Mr Daniel Williams" <danielwilliams0603@att.net> From, Mr Daniel Williams

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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:
- "million us 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)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: " Mr Daniel Williams" <danielwilliams0603@att.net>
Reply-To: <danwill04@cantv.net>
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 09:11:45 -1200
Subject: From, Mr Daniel Williams

Hello Dear

I am contacting you in regards to a business transfer of a large sum of money from a dormant account. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day

PROPOSITION
I discovered an abandoned sum of US$16,000, 000.00 (SixteenMillion US Dollars) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign Customers late George Brumley. This very account has been dormant for some years now. After my investigations, I discovered that the account owner has died since July 2003 with all his family members in a plane crash.

Since his death, nobody has come forward to lay claims to this money and recently my bank issued a notice that the account will be declared unserviceable and the funds called to the government treasury since no relative of the deceased customer came up.

In order to avert this negative action, I now seek your permission to have you stand as a next of kin so that funds can be released in your favor as the next of kin.

Please acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual business endeavor by furnishing me with the following if you are willing to work with me Actually.

1. Your full name
2. Postal address
3. Profession
4. Telephone and fax numbers

This information will enable me work on the Deceased account file so as to indicate you as his next of kin after which you will formally apply for the release of the funds as the next of kin to the Deceased customer to this bank I work at. We are going to share the total sum on final conclusion of this project on a 50-50 equal.
If you are truly disposed and capable of handling this, reach me immediately.

Regards,
Daniel Williams

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam