419 scam: "Steven Wood"<stevenn.wood47@gmail.com> Private & Confidential

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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 amount of money" (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 next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Steven Wood" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <steven@steveinformaticsuk.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2012 20:48:59 +0100
Subject: Private & Confidential

Good day,

I hope my e-mail finds you in a good health. My name is Steven Wood, a financial consultant based here in London.I was the former consultant to a rich and wealthy Investor who died 12 years ago in a plane crash with his only daughter Stephie and his wife, Cheryl.

My late client before his untimely death, had a deposit of Five Million, Five Hundred Thousand Great British Pound Sterling which I helped him to deposit in one of the leading banks here in London two years before his death. And after a long search, I have not been able to locate any surviving relative or family member since he did not leave any will or beneficiary/next of kin to inherit this huge amount of money. Therefore, this is why I have contacted you today as you are bearing the same Surname as my late client and hence, I seek your consent in presenting you as the beneficiary, so that proceeds can be paid to you by the bank and in which 60% shall be mine and 30% yours, and the remaining 10% will be mapped out for any unforseen expenses we may come across during the course of the business.

What i require is your honest cooperation, transparency and complete trust to enable us see this transaction through. Let me know if you are interested in this partnership so i can provide you with further details on how we can successfully conclude this transaction.

Best regards,

Steven Wood

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam