419 scam: "Mrs. Brenda Berlin" <brenda.berlinn@hotmail.com> With great appreciation

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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)
- "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)
- "gabrielscott777@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- +27837519074 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Brenda Berlin" <brenda.berlinn@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: "Mrs. Brenda Berlin" <brendaberlinn11@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 07:52:58 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: With great appreciation

My Dear Friend,

I trust life have been treating you good.

We wish to thank you for not disclose or reveal to anyone the US$14.8 Million over invoice contract fund we proposed to transfer to your account for safekeeping, sharing and investing our share based on your advice.

I and my partner have decided to thank you for protected our interest and for been secretive. We are glad to inform you that we've already finalized and transferred the fund to Japan with the help of a Japanese industrialist and businessman, who showed interest in participating in the deal to actualize the success.

Though for protecting our interest by keeping the proposal to yourself without letting anyone know we've decided to compensate you with US$600,000.00 (Six Hundred Thousand Dollars). At the moment, I am in Japan with my partner investing our share, but kept the mentioned amount for you under my Brokerâ€™s custody in South Africa.

He has opened an account as we advised, deposited the said amount and waiting for you to contact him in order to send an Automated Teller Machine (ATM Card) worth of US$600,000.00 which you are to use in accessing and withdrawing your rewarded amount in any ATM stand/location in your Country and even worldwide. The maximum withdrawal daily limit of the Card should be US$5000.00 (Five Thousand Dollars) only, so be aware.

This is the protocol the Broker use in transferring our money to Japan to avoid excess Tax and unnecessary monetary policy terms.

Below is his contact information, you should use (US$600,000.00-COMPENSATION) as reference, when contacting the Broker to confirm, open the account and deliver the ATM Card/Pin number to you. Do not forget to reconfirm your full name to him, telephone number, with physical address, where you want him to deliver the Card.

Contact Person: Mr. Gabriel Scott
449 Church & Beatrix Street, Arcadia
Pretoria, South Africa
Email: gabrielscott777@outlook.com
Tel: +27 837 519 074
Fax: +27 865 193 797

I would have contacted you for long, but I was so busy with some vital issues here in Japan as I told you. I hardly have time to access my email due to workloads thatâ€™s why am only contacting you now.

Thanks once again for protecting our interest

With great appreciation,

Best regards,

Mrs. Brenda Berlin

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam