419 scam: Berz MARKUS <sydneydcd@gmail.com> IMPORTANT INFORMATION:-Please Take your Time Read Carefully.

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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.
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:
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million 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)
- "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)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- berz.markus2016@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Berz MARKUS <sydneydcd@gmail.com>
Reply-To: berz.markus2016@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2017 13:59:40 +0100
Subject: IMPORTANT INFORMATION:-Please Take your Time Read Carefully.

Dear foreign partner, Hello!
I am Mr.Berz MARKUS, (B.R.S) Bank Financial Director, Benin Republic.
Now am contacting you secretly for a mutual benefit and I know this
mail will come to you as a surprise, but please I would like you to
treat this message very confidential away from ours and your
Government. Please this is a top secret.
I wish to inform you that I have a private Investor, his was 84 years
old, the Investor is an old Politician and retired.
However, the private Investor is ready to facilitate and fund any of
your project.
As i was saying, the private Investor currently have capital fund of
(USD $25 Million Dollars) with our Bank to invest with you personally
or your company which could be immediately transferred into any Bank
account of your choice anywhere in the world.
The investor has worked with Government for so many years and he is
ready to sponsor any of your project, and because of his age and
position with Government ,the investor could not give you the capital
fund directly and that is why i am contacting you directly to
negotiate this arrangement with you, as i am the Bank Financial
Director ,i will order our Foreign Remittance Department B.R.S Bank to
facilitate and transfer the fund directly into your Bank account upon
your compliance.
I repeat, this transaction only require your utmost sincerity and
co-operation so that we can both achieve our goal and benefit.
I am confident that you will give your consideration to this proposal
and respond positively within a short period of time. I am available
to discuss this proposal with you and to answer any questions you may
have in regards to this fund.
As soon as you give your positive response to this proposal, I will
not hesitate in sending you the details information of this great
investment partnership opportunity.
I will handle all these process with your corporation, once you are
ready to go along with us in the deal; I will direct you on way
forward as soon as you agree to claim the fund in the Bank and we will
give you commission of (USD $3 Million Dollars) of the capital amount
for your support & for presenting foreign bank account for the fund
claiming.
Upon the receipt of your next reply, we will go to the step of
transferring the project said fund into any Bank account of your
choice to start the actual partnership.
NOTE, for security precaution; to avoid exposure in order not to
jeopardize my job with my Bank & Benin Government, you have to keep
the transaction very confidential between You & Me only, no third
party involved please!!!.
Send further reply to my private email address: berz.markus2016@gmail.com
I await your urgent and rapid response.
Kind regards!
Berz MARKUS.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam