419 scam: "Mr. Ed Smith"<info@mail.com> Important Note!!

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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.

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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.
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:
- "to your nominated bank account" (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)
- "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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a 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.
- +447031983469 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
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.
- ed.smith@workmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Ed Smith" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <edsmith_001@outlook.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2015 19:45:50 -0400
Subject: Important Note!!

Good Day Dear!

How are you and your family? I hope my letter meets you in your best mood today. My name is Mr. Ed Smith, Managing Director, Head of Global Transaction Banking, Commercial Banking, Lloyds Banking Group PLC London. I decided to seek a top secret/confidential co-operation with you in the execution of a transactions deal described here-under for our both mutual benefit. During the annual bank audits, I discovered an abandoned/unclaimed fund, sum total of £ 19.100,000 GBP (Nineteen Million One Hundred Thousand British Pounds Sterling) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers (Late Sen. Paul David Wellstone) an American born in Washington, D.C, he was an American academic and politician. Who Lost his life in a plane crash that killed Wellstone, his wife Sheila, daughter Marcia, and five others near Eveleth, Minnesota.

I discovered that he did not specify any next of kin or will beneficiary to his account after going through his file in our bank. I sincerely and deliberately seek your consent to present you as the next of kin / will beneficiary to the deceased so that the sum valued at £ 19.100.000 Million British Pounds Sterling will be transferred to you, which will be shared in these percentage ratio: 55% for me and 45% to you respectively.
I need your sincere co-operation, trust and utmost confidentiality to enable us conduct this transaction successfully. I assure and promise you that this transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law both in your country and here in London as the fund is transferred to your nominated bank account. Upon consideration and acceptance of this offer, kindly forward me the following information immediately to my private email address for more confidentiality: Ed.smith@workmail.com

1. Your full name:
2. Your full contact address:
3. Your direct mobile telephone number:
4. Your email address:
5. Your Occupation

To enable me upload your information in our bank database to reflect in the bank network system that you are the named next of kin/will beneficiary of this account, then I will guide you on communication with the bank for onward transfer of this fund to you.

NOTE: We have few banking days to execute this transaction deal.
Thanks in anticipation of your urgent response.

Regards,
Mr. Ed Smith
+44 7031983469

Anti-fraud resources:

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