419 scam: JAMES GRAY <info@usa.org> URGENT

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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:
- "western union" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- ",500,000" (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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
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.
- jamesgray0200@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: JAMES GRAY <info@usa.org>
Reply-To: <Jamesgray0200@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2020 23:38:02 +0100
Subject: URGENT

From Desk Of James Gray
Honorable office of USA Secretary of State and
Chairman Refund Payment Committee
Federal Executive Council Baton Rouge USA
Email address: Jamesgray0200@gmail.com

This letter is written in order to change your Life from today. Please
note that this letter came to you as a result of information received
from our monitoring network regarding so much payments which you sent
through Western Union and Money Gram to Europe, Asia and Africa and
some other part of the World without receiving any payment to your
name, further investigation reveals that you have lost hope towards
receiving your payment after being deceived so many times.

Following the on going re-branding of USA policies, the Federal
Government of USA have directed our committee to compensate/refund the
sum of $10,500,000 to you through one of this medium by ATM CARD being one of
the most convenient means of receiving payment World Wide, Bank to
Bank Transfer. We wish to inform you
that the members of Refund Payment Committee are honorable men of
Great Repute and integrity who have served the Government of USA in
different capacities,

we also wish to inform you that the Committee members were appointed
by our respected President Donald Trump to pay 10 million five hundred thousand
Dollars to the listed beneficiaries that have lost their money to the scammer
and have not yet receive their total sum.

In order for you to receive your payment this week, you are advice to
reply this email with ANSWERS to the Questions below.

Your Full Name
Your Contact Address
Your Direct telephone. Fax Number ( if any)
Your AGE and what you do for a living
How Many Months Or Years in which You Have Been Expecting your Payment
The Place you sent Money Last whether Nigeria or Benin etc
The Last Amount of Money You sent indicating What Month and Year

From James Gray
Honorable office of USA Secretary of State
Chairman Refund Payment Committee
Federal Executive Council Baton Rouge USA
Email address: Jamesgray0200@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam