419 scam: "Chris Lucas"<carnitechvn@yahoo.com.vn> Dear Friend,

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "can i trust you?" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "chrislukas@gmx.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2347088499781 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Chris Lucas" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <chrislukas@gmx.com>
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 09:42:04 -0500
Subject: Dear Friend,

Dear Friend,

I am Chris Lucas, a legal practitioner, I saw your profile and sincerely would want to have a business relationship with you.
The crux of this letter is that I have a deceased client a consultant to Chevron Company here in my country, unfortunately
him and his wife lost their lives in auto crash along Lagos Ibadan express way April 2007.

Since then I have made several inquiries to locate any of their extended relatives, but all efforts made was to no avail.
After the several unsuccessful attempts, My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of-kin to
my Late client (Johnson Fawaz)

This means that the proceeds of his save deposit would be paid to you as his next of kin and the legitimate beneficiary.
This deposit is to be declared UN-serviceable and confiscate by the bank as there have been no indicated next of kin while,
the total amount of cash deposited by my deceased client is (USD 14.7M) (Fourteen Million and Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars)
He confided in me when he was alive, since they are married for 9 years without a child and of age before their death.

Now, the bank has issued to me a notification letter to contact the next of kin of my deceased client to either make claim as
beneficiary of the save deposit, or to re-activate the period of deposit with a monthly surcharge of 6% to be deducted as an
Escrow safe keeping fee of the deposit.

All the legal documents to back up your claim as my Late client's next-of-kin would be provided by me. But I want to know
something; CAN I TRUST YOU? Knowing that it is my sincere wish to use this transaction as a tool to establish an enduring
relationship with you which will be inherited and reaped by our posterity, so if you assure me of your trust I will tell you
details. Be informed that this would be done under a legitimate arrangement that would protect both party from any breach of
the law.

FINALLY, REPLY STRICTLY ONLY TO MY PRIVATE EMAIL; chrislukas@gmx.com

Call Me On +234-7088499781

I wait for your reply.

Best Regards,
Chris Lucas

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam