419 scam: "Dr Alex Jonathan Bruno"<jonathankleb@yahoo.com> REPLY URGENTLY FOR DETAILS

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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)
- "cost of transfer" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "clearance document" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "million 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)
- "lome togo" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr Alex Jonathan Bruno" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <andersonkerry55@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2017 07:05:57 -0000
Subject: REPLY URGENTLY FOR DETAILS

Attn: Dear Friend,

With tears in my eyes i solicit for your immediate unflinching assistance, and intervention into this issue at hand.Please if you are a person without conscience,care, consideration or feeling for others,then please disregard this message and do not respond, since we cannot trust people in that category again.

You see an opportunity came our way as civil servants on active service, and we seized it by omission or commission to over invoiced receipts, and inflated figures to the tune of ten million United States Dollars (US$15M),a transaction which we monitored and nurtured with all necessary clearance documents obtained, which enabled the first part valued US$5M transferred on the 18th July 2014, into the bank account provided by (Mr. Robert Jack Abbot), a supposed trusted partner, since the code of conduct denied us from operating foreign bank accounts, as civil servants still on active government services.

As the valid date of the transferred US$5M was due, and the fund confirmed into designated bank on the 25th July 2014, we simply contacted our trusted (Mr. Robert Jack Abbot), to share the first transferred US$5M according to our agreed percentage of 70%-30%. Do you know that (Mr. Robert Jack Abbot) refused to comply?, insisting until the balance US$10M be transfer into his account, for he was indebted to his bank who cancelled the debt with part of the transferred US$5M.

When we contacted (Mr. Robert Jack Abbot) to even share whatever amount remaining, he threatened to expose our deed as civil servants, and report us to our government, which led us contacting the assigned paying bank through our lawyer, to put on hold further transfer of the balance US$10M until another bank account is provided.

"THE FIRST US$5M WAS TRANSFERRED AND CLEARED AND WE GOT NO SHARE, WILL IT BE WHEN THE BALANCE US$10M IS TRANSFERRED THAT WE CAN GUARANTEE REPRESENTATION?"

Please we implore you to provide a safe bank account, where the balance US$10M will be transfer into, which you have direct access and signatory to.You need not entertain any fears, as you will not be required to pay any fee as all documents had been obtained, while cost of transfer will be deducted from the US$10M before transfer.
Please rush your decision as time is not favorable considering the first transferred US$5M. We hope to hear from you promptly.

Best regards,
Dr Alex Jonathan Bruno
Lome Togo Republic

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam