419 scam: "Mr.John Browns"<jbrowns001@outlook.com> Hi

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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:
- "please indicate your interest" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",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: "Mr.John Browns" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrjbrowns@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 04:59:27 -0700
Subject: Hi

Greetings,

I am Mr.John Browns (Financial Broker & Finance Risk Control Officer).

RE- FUND TRANSFER MATTER,
Are you a business minded person, can you uphold financial transaction with utmost secrecy, sincerity and seriousness? Your ability to respond and co-operate with me, will be the beginning of more good financial deals between us.

I work in the Finance Risk control/Accounts Broker Unit of a prestigious bank in the United Kingdom. I have the official duty to process and release unclaimed funds to the relatives of persons who have died without placing will/testament on their monetary assets. Recently, there are multiple funds floating in the bank treasury, these funds are what I want to shift/transfer to your account for your benefit and mine.

Can you be trusted? However, as soon as you give me a reply and we conclude necessary talks; the sum of 4,000,000.00(GBP)shall be transferred to your bank account immediately. The transfer of funds to your account shall be lawfully executed in respect to the wire regulatory ethics guiding the transfer of huge fund from one country to another.

Besides, we can achieve this success of fund transfer within 5 bank working days.Due to the confidential nature of this financial deal, please indicate your interest by simply reply to my email.

I anticipate your urgent response to this financial matter, thank you.

Sincerely,
Mr.John Browns.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam