419 scam: "John Francis"<johnfrancis2012@gmail.com> I Need Your Assistant

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "with your full names" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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)
- "is highly 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.
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.
- johnfrancisreal@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "John Francis" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnfrancisreal@aim.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 2010 07:53:17 -0600
Subject: I Need Your Assistant

Dear Sir/Madan

My Name is Mr.John Francis,a professional banker and the financial consultants to Omar Bongo,late president of republic of Gabon,who died 8Th of June,2009 in Barcelona,Spain.

Before his death he amassed a fortune,including 66 private bank account and more than 45 homes in the name of his immediate family.

Not only that, he made a lot of cash deposit in big security companies in Spain,France Belgium and Holland.

There is a cash deposit of 12.5 million US Dollars he made in a security company in a coded formula,only his wife and i who know about it,even the security company do not know that it was money rather the depositary manifest stated that it is family treasure made up of old Pisces of gold and diamond.

Now as his financial consultants,who has good knowledge of the deposit and perfect bank cont ants in Spain,the wife has mandated me to seek for a reliable,trust worth person whom we shall be using to make the claim of the 65 million US Dollars from the security company and pay it into his account.

There is no risk because all the logistics for a smooth transaction has been perfected by us and moreover all the necessary documents will be changed in your name.

They have agreed to to offer you 30%,while 60% will be for them and 10% for me and the bank official where we will open account in your name.

Please this is highly confidential and you must keep it to yourself only.

If you are intersted to partner with us ,do contact me on my private Email Address (johnfrancisreal@aim.com) with your full names address and telephone.

Best Regards,
John Francis

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam