419 scam: "Staphen Cronin" <cronin_stephen@ymail.com> Good Day

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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:
- "million pounds" (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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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: "Staphen Cronin" <cronin_stephen@ymail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: stephencronin105@ymail.com
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2012 19:02:08 +0300 (EEST)
Subject: Good Day

Good Day,
I am Stephen Cronin, Managing partner of Yorkshire Bank Temple Point 1
Temple Row Birmingham B2 5YB. I saw your contact during my private search
at the information centre and I have a deep believe that you will be very
honest, committed and capable of assisting me in this business venture.

It is based on this that I am contacting you to stand as the beneficiary
to a late client of the bank so that the total sum of 15,000,000.00 GBP
(Fifteen Million pounds) will be released and paid to you as the
beneficiary to the deceased.

At the end of this transaction you shall have 45% of the total inheritance
and i shall take 55%

I will provide you with all the necessary information, documents and proof
to legally back up the claim from the different offices concerned for the
smooth transfer of the fund to any of your accounts as the true
beneficiary. If this proposal satisfies you, please get back to me with
the following information:

FULL NAMES, TELEPHONE/FAX, MOBILE NUMBERS, ADDRESS, AGE / SEX and OCCUPATION.

I anticipate your urgent response to enable us proceed further.

Yours Faithfully,
Stephen Cronin

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam