419 scam: "Larry Smith"<larrysmith2051@gmail.com> Compliment.

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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 british 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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- larrysmithprs@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Larry Smith" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <larrysmithprs@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2014 02:39:45 -0700
Subject: Compliment.

Good Day,

Let me introduce myself again, I am Larry Smith, staff of Smith and Williamson Investment Plc. (England), I am contacting you concerning Albert, a deceased customer of my Bank and investment he placed under our banks management 8 years ago to the tune of eighteen million British Pounds ( £18,000,000, 00). I would respectfully request that you keep the contents of this mail confidential and respect the integrity of the information you come by as a result of this mail. I have been in charge of this department for 8 years and to best of my knowledge, I have discharged my duty with equity.

In the process of review of our financial report by my department, I discovered that the deceased has no next of kin, hence I contacted you so that I can give you further briefing on my intention and how to
disburse the funds and estate he left behind , Now my proposal; I am prepared to place you in a position to instruct the Bank to release the deposit to you as the closest surviving relation. Upon receipt of the
deposit, I am prepared to share the money with you in half. That is, I will simply nominate you as the next of kin and have them release the deposit to you. We share the proceeds 50/50.

I ask that you do not destroy my chance, if you will not work with me let me know and let me move on with my life but do not destroy me. I am a family man with wife and children; this is an opportunity to provide them with new opportunities. There is a reward for this project and it is a task well worth undertaking.

Please, again, note I am a family man; and I know within me that nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never come easy or on a platter of gold. This is the one truth I have learned from my private banking clients. Do not betray my confidence. If we can be of one accord, we should act swiftly on this.

Please get back to me immediately for further communication

I await your response.

Regards,

Mr. Larry Smith
larrysmithprs@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam