419 scam: "Robert Brown"<sergeantrobetbrown@train.ocn.ne.jp> I seek for your assistance

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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 us 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)
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.
- sergeantrobetbrown@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Robert Brown" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sergeantrobetbrown@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 7 May 2018 21:51:34 -0700
Subject: I seek for your assistance

Greetings to you, I know my message will come to you as a surprise but want you to know that am contacting you for business partnership.

I really wish to have you as my good friend/partner and wishes to hand over my funds to you for investments on trust. I will like to use this opportunity to let you know about me, I am Sergeant Robert Brown serving in U.S Military Base in Afghanistan, I have a total sum of $1.3 Million US dollars I wish to use the funds for investments that is why I seek for your assistance to be my partner.

I have contacted you in good heart and the main reason why I have decided to entrust all this funds to you is because I am a military officer, we are not permitted to transact business that is why I request that you help me to invest the fund, I want us to use the total fund for our investment with you while you take control of all investments. I am offering you 30% share of the total funds, I will be coming to meet with you later as soon as I have vacation, although I have more interest on real estate.

Please contact me through my private email address for security reason: (sergeantrobetbrown@gmail.com )

Note that the whole process is very simple and we must keep a low profile at all times and I want all our communications to remain on emails for now.

I look forward to your reply and co-operation.

Warm Regards,

Robert Brown
Please contact me through my private email address for security reason: (sergeantrobetbrown@gmail.com)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam