419 scam: "Robert Berry" <y.takahashi@wakaba-foods.co.jp> Waiting for your response.

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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:
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Robert Berry" <y.takahashi@wakaba-foods.co.jp>
Reply-To: <berryrobert1515@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 07 Apr 2023 21:55:18 +0900
Subject: Waiting for your response.

Attention: Potential Beneficiary,

My name is Mr. Robert Berry, I`m a banker. Apologies if my letter came to you as a surprise, since there has not been any previous correspondence between us. I hereby solicit for your urgent reply to assist me in claiming a deceased customer's fund as the next of kin since you bear the same surname (last name) with the deceased, though I was the account officer to the deceased before he died.

Meanwhile, the funds involved is USD$9.7 million, the deceased customer contracted corona virus in December 2019 while in China with the family on vacation and died after a month and three weeks later the entire family passed away, leaving behind no one to stand as next of kin, since then I have made all efforts to locate any family member but to no avail.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to contact you since you bear the same surname. I have some related documents in my possession as the account officer to back up your claim as the next of kin.

Please I await your careful response to enable me to detail you the way forward. Again, I want you to be discreet about this for the safety of my good office/position.

Regards,

Mr. Robert Berry.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam