419 scam: "Mr. John Smith"<johnsmith44476@mail.com> I will be waiting for your immediate response

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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:
- "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)
- "transferred into your bank account" (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)
- "into your nominated bank account" (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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "my direct telephone number" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "inland revenue" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
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.
- +447031930501 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. John Smith" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrjohn.smith@britishfundmonitoringunit.co.cc>
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:02:32 -1100
Subject: I will be waiting for your immediate response

British Fund Monitory Unit
British Inland Revenue Commission
286 Euston Road , London NW1 3UH
TEL: + 44-703 1930501
FAX: + 44-203 0042345

DEAR

I am Mr. John Smith, from South Carolina , but I live and work here in UK with British fund monitoring unit London United Kingdom as international financial consultant with. I'm 49yrs old; I got your email address on the web/International business directories. On the course of my duty, I have privately discovered a dormant account in the name of late Mr. Raymond Beck. He is from Atlanta Georgia United State of America , but resides here in Africa as a consultant engineer with shell development. Mr. Raymond Beck was a client with huge deposit account with intercontinental bank plc since August 2003 August 2003. Late Mr. Raymond was involved in a explosion caused by some insurgency that took his life on the spot.

The Board of Directors and The Management of British fund monitoring unit has official advice and mandated me to look for Mr. Raymond Beck relatives and his next of Kin to come and claim Mr. Raymond Beck's Fund deposit, considering my American citizenship. I have made every hard effort to link with his next of kin without success for official claim of his deposit with intercontinental bank. I have made several inquiries/contacted at the America Embassy and all my effort was unsuccessful due to some wrong applications and bad documentation caused by misappropriation.

In view of this unsuccessful trace of Mr. Raymond next of kin, some of the Directors and top executive of the bank want to convert the fund deposit Account of Mr. Raymond worth US$9.8m into the bank treasury as unclaimed fund. In view of this, I will want you to stand as the Relation/next of kin to Late Mr. Raymond Beck, so that the fund will be Documented, Processed and Transferred into your bank account as the legal beneficiary and next of kin, as an insider and financial consultant with the bank, I will front you as the legal beneficiary, I will directly use my position and office to perfect and coordinate the transaction to me its legitimacy. As a matter of fact, this transaction is very transparent, easy and simple, and it is 100% risk free provided I am directly involved.

Finally, the entire management of the bank considering my American linage with Mr. Raymond beck is surly depending on me to provide the next of kin, if you are interested with this transaction, I will present you to the bank as the only next of kin to late Mr. Raymond Beck, with the official and credible documents certifying you as the appointed next of kind and legal beneficiary and the transaction will be conclude within few banking days without delay or hindrances and you confirm the fund into your nominated bank account.

Just email me or call me on my direct telephone number, once you receive this letter to stop me from further looking for alternative elsewhere. I'm putting my confidence on you. Feel free to ask any questions. I am in a better position to furnish you with reliable answers. You will be entitled of 50% of the total sum (US$9.8 Million) which is (US$4.900, 000.00) Four Million nine Hundred Thousand Dollars, while the Balance of the same amount will be mine.

I will be waiting for your immediate response.

Thanks

Mr. John Smith.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam