419 scam: Mr David Tugwell <racefan22@verizon.net> please reply

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "necessary legal documents" (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. )
- "hundred thousand 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "drcolewilliams@live.co.uk" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "drcolewilliams@live.co.uk" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447024054779 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr David Tugwell <racefan22@verizon.net>
Reply-To: davidtugwell30@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:26:04 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: please reply

Dr Cole Williams
Assitant Manager,Natwest Bank,
Putney High Branch,
London United Kingdom
Tel:Tel:+44 7024054779
Email: drcolewilliams@live.co.uk

Dear friend,
I am Dr.Cole Williams reaching you from Nat West Bank London,here
in England. I work for Nat west Ministers Bank London. I am writing you
following a deal in my office that will be of an immense benefit to
both of us.

In my department, being the Assistant manager(Putney High Street), I discovered an
abandoned sum of $12,500,000,00 USA Dollars (Twelve million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars) in
an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers Late Mr.Thompson Morrison
an American citizen who unfortunately lost his life in the plane
crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed on January 31 2000,
including his wife and only daughter.

The choice of contacting you is aroused from the
geographical nature of where you live, particularly due to
the sensitivity of the transaction and the confidentiality herein.
Now our bank has been waiting for any of the relatives to come up
for the claim but nobody has done that. I personally have been
unsuccessful in locating the relatives for 5 years now.

I now seek your consent to present you as the next of kin /Beneficiary
to the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at $12,500,000,00 Dollars
can be paid to you. This will be disbursed or shared in these percentages,
50% to me and 40% to you while 10% is for any expenses incurred during the
transaction while I have secured all necessary legal documents that can be used
to backup this claim we are making. All I need is to fill in your names to the documents and legalize
it in the court here to prove you as the legitimate beneficiary.

Also I require your honest Co-operation, Confidentiality and absolute Trust
no doubt, to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee you that
this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you
from any breach of the law. Please, provide me with the following as we have 5 days to run
it through.

This is very very URGENT PLEASE.
1. Full Name
2. Your Telephone Number
3. Your Contact Address.
4. Occupation

Your urgent response will be highly anticipated and appreciated.
Best Regards,
DR Cole William
Tel:+44 7024054779
PLEASE SEND YOUR INFORMATION TO MY PRIVET EMAIL [drcolewilliams@live.co.uk)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam