419 scam: "Miss. Charlotte Elliot" <aoffice272@gmail.com> Attention Dear Email ID owner

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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:
- "necessary legal documents" (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. )
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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 next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Miss. Charlotte Elliot" <aoffice272@gmail.com>
Reply-To: charlotte.elliot38@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 23 May 2021 21:12:52 +0100
Subject: Attention Dear Email ID owner

I am Miss. Charlotte Elliot, the Head of Private Banking at BNY
Mellon, New York. I'm an excellent friend of the late Engr. Richard D
Petrelli, Who is a national of our country. He died on the 7th of July
2013 in a motor accident here in New York years ago. On July 20th,
2014, an Oil consultant with the American Petroleum corporation made a
numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at
US$155,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty-Five Million, United States
Dollars) After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace
his relatives over the internet but no luck until a friend of mine who
does not want Her name to be revealed said I should contact you that
She trusted you to be the honest and trustworthy personality I can
trust these funds on instead of blowing an alarm for the American
Government to make claims of this huge amount of money labored and
also rightfully belongs to our countryman, Late Engr. Richard D
Petrelli. (He was a good man and has always believed in building one
of the largest American chemical-industry here in New York unknowingly
to Him that He will die soon)

I contacted you to assist in repatriating the funds left behind before
they get confiscated or declared Here in my bank where the deceased
had an account valued at about US$155,000,000.00 (One Hundred and
Fifty-Five Million, united states dollars) Consequently, the bank
issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have his account
confiscated within a short time. Since I have been unsuccessful in
locating the relatives for over some years now, I seek your consent to
present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you are a good
and kind person so that the processing of the account valued at
US$155,000,000.00 can be paid to you for both of us to share the
funds; 50% for me and 50% to you.

With With your Cooperation and assistance, I will secure all necessary
legal documents that can be used to back up the claim in your favor.
All I require is your honest/Sincere cooperation to enable us to see
this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under an
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Please
provide the listed information below to discuss further, and thanks
for your understanding of my proposal.

Your full names:
Address:
Phone:
Occupation:

Thanks for your kind cooperation

Miss. Charlotte Elliot
Head of Private Banking
BNY Mellon Bank New York

Anti-fraud resources:

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