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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "million 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)
• 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.
  • chrisjones_2004@sify.com
  • chrisjones2004@sify.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Chris Jones" <chrisjones55@msn.com>
Reply-To: chrisjones7722@yahoo.it
Date: Fri, 06 Jan 2006 01:55:10 +0000
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF CHRIS JONES

FROM THE DESK OF CHRIS JONES
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE ACCOUNTANT/CREDIT MANAGER
LLOYDS TSB BANK, LONDON. UNITED KINGDOM.
EMAIL: chrisjones_2004@sify.com



Dear Friend,



With due esteem respect please I beg your pardon for this unsolicited
nature, it was out of desperation and curiosity that made me to contact
you.



To introduce myself, I am Mr. Chris Jones, I am the personal accountant
to Mr. John Williams, a national of your country, who used to work with
one of the Biggest Oil Servicing Company here in London, herein shall
be referred as my customer.



On the Thursday July 7, 2005 3:01 PM, my customer, his wife {Lady
Juliet and their two children {Rose and Dan} were involved in a Three
blasts rocked the London subway and one tore open a packed
double-decker bus during the morning rush hour Thursday, sending
bloodied victims fleeing in what a shaken Prime Minister Tony Blair
called ``barbaric'' terrorist attacks.A U.S. law enforcement official
said at least 40 people were killed and London hospitals reported more
than 300 injured, unfortunately, him and his family were victims that
lost their lives.

You can view this page for more information

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5124823,00.html
}

Since then I have made several enquiries to locate any of my customer,
extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.



After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last
name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family or any close
name to his, hence I contacted you. I am contacting you to assist in
repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before
they get liquidate or declare it unserviceable by the bank where this
huge deposits were lodged,Lloyds TSB Bank London, where the deceased
had his account valued precisely to be USD$15M (Fifteen Million United
States
Dollars).

The bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the
account liquidated within the next twenty one official working days.



Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you to stand in as the
next of kin to, so that the fruits of this old man's labor will not get
into the hands of some group of corrupt government officials who will
get rid of the money and share it for their own selfish interest and
greed.



Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 3
weeks now, I seek your prompt consent to present you as the next of kin
of the deceased since nobody is coming for the funds, so that the proceeds
of this account valued at USD$15M can be paid to you and then you and I
can share the money according to any agreed ratio.

All i want you to do is to assist by claiming the (next of
kin) to this said sum, all the necessary documents will be
provided to back-up the funds to make it a hitch free
operation. You shall also source for good investment, so
that i can invest the money wisely. I have in mind to
establish a rewarding investment and good relationship with you.




All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal
through. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.



Looking forward to your response in this my private email address:
chrisjones2004@sify.com



Truly yours,

Mr. Chris Jones.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam