419 scam: clark brown <clarkbrown345@hotmail.com> I need an answer

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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. )
- "with absolute secrecy" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
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.
- romac345_solicitors@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: clark brown <clarkbrown345@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2014 02:47:06 +0100
Subject: I need an answer

Dear Friend
I am sorry for this interruption. I have no other
way to reach you than these ways if the contents here under are contrary to
your moral ethics. Please accept my apology, but please treat with absolute
secrecy and personal. With due regards, my name is Clark Brown (JR) an Accountant
by profession in Nigeria and currently holding the post of Director Auditing
and Accounting unit of my bank.

There is a draft account opened in my bank in
1998 by a long-time client of our bank, a national of your country .He was a
CEO/a textile company owner, business man, a miner at Kruger mining company
here in Nigeria he was also a geologist and a mining consultant to several
other mining conglomerates operating in Cambodia, China, Taiwan, Japan, Nigeria
Indonesia, Pakistan, Vietnam, United state

But unfortunately he died in an air crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261
which crashed on January 31st 2007, including his wife and only daughter.
Before the crash, he made a fixed deposit value of $32.625.370 million USD in
our bank. it happened that further investigation revealed that, the man had one
only next of kin which was his daughter who died with him in the crash in
Nigeria leaving nobody as the next of kin or representative of his account
after his death. The amount in this account is currently $32,625,370.00.

It is against this backdrop, that I
needed a foreigner to assist me in getting this fund out from the bank before
they transfer the money into Government REDUNDANT ACCOUNT and you
know, due to bad leaders we have in Africa, this fund will not be utilized but will be diverted. Now I want to
present you as the representative or next of kin of this man family, I will use
my position and influence in the bank to make sure they release this money to
you for our mutual benefits and sharing.

Also be informed that this Transaction will take us just 5-10 working days
only to accomplish beginning from when I receive your acceptance and private
information and you have been made the next of kin, I will file an application
to the bank on your behalf as soon as I secure the necessary approval and
letter of probate in your favor for the movement of the funds to an account that
will be provided by you. This process is 100% risk free as I have set out all
the modalities to see that a legal and legitimate process is applied because I
will prepare all the necessary legal documents that will back the money and the
actual transfer.

I will prefer that you reach me via this email address:
(romac345_solicitors@hotmail.com)

Your earliest response to this offer will be appreciated.

Yours Sincerely

Clark Brown (JR)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam