419 scam: "Mark Ashley"<mark.ashley20@gmail.com> REQUEST FOR BUSINESS COOPERATION

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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:
- "million pounds" (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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "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.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- mamashley1@googlemail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mark Ashley" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mamashley1@googlemail.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 2010 07:48:37 +0100
Subject: REQUEST FOR BUSINESS COOPERATION

Dearest,

REQUEST FOR BUSINESS COOPERATION

This letter must come to you as a surprise, but I believe that it takes just a day for people to meet and become great friends and business partners. This is a personal and private letter directed to you and I request that it be treated as such.

My name is Mark Ashley, a retired Barrister. I was the personal Attorney /Sole Executor to the estate of a late client (Eng. Wayne Larson), originally from America. He was an oil magnate here in The United Kingdom but died in a car crash with his immediate family on the 4th of Oct 2003.

Since his death in 2003, I have written series of letters to the American and Middle Eastern countries embassies in London with intent to locating any of his extended relatives whom shall be claimant / beneficiary of his abandoned monetary deposit and all such efforts have been to no avail.

Three days ago, I received a letter suggesting a likely proceeding for confiscation of his deposit in line with existing laws on dormant accounts, by the bank in which my client deposited the sum of £6.8 million pounds (Six Million, Eight Hundred Thousand British Pounds Sterling). On this note I decided to search for a credible person preferable from his listed home country to act as his Next of Kin.

I am now undergoing medical treatment for terminal cancer of the throat. I have thousands of unpaid medical bills to contend with right now. The high dose of chemotherapy has impaired my speech ability. I have now come to the realization that the end may come any moment from now and leaving these funds to waste.

I am therefore contacting you that I may, with your consent, present you to the "Trustee" Bank as my late client's surviving family member so as to enable you put up a claim to the bank in that capacity as a next of kin of my late client. I propose that 40% of the net sum will accrue to you at the conclusion of this deal, while I retain the balance 60%

To facilitate the immediate transfer of this fund, you need firstly, signify your interest by contacting me via e-mail, and I will appraise you with complete details as soon as I obtain your confidence. Rest assured that this proposal is hitch-free and you need not entertain any fears as all procedures will be within the confines of the law. Successful transfer of the Fund to your nominated account can be achieved within 14 Banking days of signifying your interest.

Please, include your Private and confidential Phone number (preferably Mobile) in your reply.
NOTE: Forward your response via e-mail to: < mamashley1@googlemail.com >

Best regards,

Mark Ashley

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam