419 scam: "smith water"<smithwaterstone@rediffmail.com> SMITH WATER

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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:

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:
- "trunk box" (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)
- "trunk boxes" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "smith water" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <smithwaterstone1@rediffmail.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:49:12 -0000
Subject: SMITH WATER

Hello,

I know you will be very surprise on how I got your mail address but
never to worry, I was led by my mind after browsing the internet for sometime to write
you as I have discovered that you a worthy investor who have been in business
for quite sometime.I want to believe that all is well in the area of your health and
family? This letter to you was borne out of my sincere desire to establish
business /mutual relationship with you over there in your good economy.

Firstly, I will start by introducing myself, l am SMITH WATER 24 years
old, the only surviving son of DR WATER HENRY, the former Gold and Diamond
merchant who was assassinated in cold blood by unknown assailants 8 years ago.
Before the demise of my lovely father, he made provision for my future
by depositing a large sum of money and Gold in a safe deposit company
here in Ghana.

Upon the return of the present government in sierre leone,
I was able to locate my aged mother who handed over to me documents
meant for the trunk boxes which my father left behind for me in the
security company, which is based in Accra, Ghana.

l have contacted the security company to confirm the deposit and
establish ownership, and afterwards claim the entire funds from the safe deposit security
company.

In a nutshell, the safe deposit box is containing clean and spendable 8
million United States Dollars which is presently in a safe deposit company here
in Accra,Ghana.

I am presently staying at a lodging house here in Accra-Ghana with
little money on me which I know will run out too soon. This is why I will need
you to help me receive my box from the safe deposit company.

I need you to send to me a trustworthy person that will help me
in getting the box out or better still, I can tell my lawyer to be in
touch with you.

My dear father never knew that he will die so soon. You will
be given a negotiable percentage at the end of the transaction.

Hope to read back from you soonest.
Thanks

Regards,
SMITH WATER

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam