419 scam: Giovanni Sonnetti <giovannisonnetti@gmail.com> Please Reply As Soon As You Can.

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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Giovanni Sonnetti <giovannisonnetti@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2021 22:45:21 +0000
Subject: Please Reply As Soon As You Can.

--
Dear Friend,
I have emailed you earlier without a response. In my first email I
mentioned about my late client whose relatives I cannot get in touch with,
but both of you have the same surname so it will be easy to make you become
his next of kin.
Before his death, he deposited the sum of US$ 16,600,000.00 (Sixteen
Million Six Hundred thousand United State Dollars) with the bank here and
now they have asked me to provide a next of kin if there is or the estate
will then revert to the government and so it would be lost. My proposal is
that you allow me to present you as the next of kin so that documentation
could be processed in your name and payment made in your favour.
If you are interested please do let me know so that I can give you
comprehensive details on what we are to do.
Kindly reply to this email: (giovannisonnetti@protonmail.com).
Regards,
Giovanni Sonnetti.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam