419 scam: "John T Smith"<johnsmith101@yahoo.co.uk> SINCERELY FROM ME

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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.

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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:
- "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. )
- "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)
- "million 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)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- johntsmith101@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "John T Smith" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johntsmith101@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 3 Sep 2012 20:56:47 -0700
Subject: SINCERELY FROM ME

DEAR FRIEND

BENEFICIARY SUM OF US$13.7 MILLION

I AM JOHN T. SMITH (ESQ.), THE PERSONAL ATTORNEY TO RICHARD LEE WHO HERE IN AFTER SHALL BE REFER AS MY CLIENT, A NATIONAL OF YOUR COUNTRY, WHO WAS OIL CONSULTANT/CONTRACTOR WITH EXXON MOBIL OIL AND GAS COMPANY IN NIGERIA. MOREOVER BEFORE HIS UNTIMELY DEATH, HE WAS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN OIL {PETROLEUM} EXPLORATION/EXPORT BUSINESS IN NIGERIA.

ON THE 9TH OF MARCH 2010, MY CLIENT DIED WITH HEART RELATED COMPLICATION, SINCE THEN I HAVE MADE SEVERAL ENQUIRIES TO YOUR EMBASSY TO LOCATE ANY OF MY CLIENT'S EXTENDED RELATIVES, THIS HAS ALSO PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL.

AFTER THESE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS, I DECIDED TO TRACE HIS RELATIVES OVER THE INTERNET TO LOCATE ANY MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY BUT OF NO AVAIL, HENCE I CONTACTED YOU,I CONTACTED YOU TO ASSIST IN REPATRIATING THE MONEY AND PROPERTY LEFT BEHIND BY MY CLIENT BEFORE THEY GET CONFISCATED OR DECLARED UNSERVICEABLE BY THE BANK WHERE THIS HUGE DEPOSIT WERE LODGED. PARTICULARLY, THE BANK WHERE THE DECEASED HAD AN ACCOUNT BALANCE OF USD13.7 MILLION. THAT IS WHY I AM SEEKING FOR YOUR CONSENT/COOPERATION TO PRESENT YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN/HEIR OF THE DECEASED SINCE YOU ARE FROM THE SAME COUNTRY, SO THAT THE PROCEEDS OF THIS ACCOUNT VALUED AT US$13.7 MILLION DOLLARS CAN BE PAID TO YOU, AS MY CLIENTS NEXT OF KIN/HEIR/BENEFICIARY AND THEN WE CAN SHARE IT YOU AND I, 50 PERCENT TO ME AND 45 PERCENT TO YOU, WHILE 5 PERCENT SHALL BE FOR EXPENSES OR TAX AS YOUR GOVERNMENT MAY REQUIRE. I HAVE ALL NECESSARY LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT CAN BE USED TO BACK UP ANY CLAIM WE MAY MAKE. ALL I REQUIRE IS YOUR
HONEST CO-OPERATION TO ENABLE U

IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS OFFER EMAIL ME BACK VIA THIS EMAIL ADDRESS ONLY: ( JOHNTSMITH101@YAHOO.CO.UK )

THIS TRANSACTION SHALL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY THERE IS INTEREST FROM YOU.ABSOLUTELY THIS OFFER IS RISK FREE, BUT YOU NEED TO MAINTAIN ABSOLUTE CONFIDENTIALITY DURING AND AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION OF THIS BUSINESS

I AWAIT YOUR POSITIVE RESPONSE.

SINCERELY YOURS,
JOHN T. SMITH
ATTORNEY AT LAW
5 KEFFI STREET, IKOYI,
LAGOS, NIGERIA
EMAIL :( JOHNTSMITH101@YAHOO.CO.UK )

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam