419 scam: Sylvia Johnson <Sylviajohnson407@gmail.com> Important Business Proposal

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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. )
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- sylviajohnson407@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Sylvia Johnson <Sylviajohnson407@gmail.com>
Date: 7 Nov 2024 17:59:48 +0700
Subject: Important Business Proposal

Dear sir/madam,

I hope this message finds you well. I'm reaching out to you because I have a matter of great importance to discuss with you. You must take this seriously, as I am seeking an honest business transaction.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ms. Sylvia Johnson, and as you may already know, I am an Accountant with NovaGrove Bank in the United States. I’ve been with the bank for the past eight years, and I’m 39 years old. For your reference, I’m light-complexioned and 5'9" tall.
Now, to the crux of my proposal. I am the personal Account Manager for Engineer Alexander James Smith, who worked overseas with (H&P) HELMERICH & PAYNE, Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. Tragically, on July 7, 2020, my client, along with his wife and two children, lost their lives in a plane crash in North America, which claimed a total of 52 lives.
Since his passing, I've made numerous inquiries through your embassy in an attempt to find any extended family members, but unfortunately, these efforts have not yielded results. After several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to search for anyone related to him online and came across your information.
My bank has repeatedly instructed me to identify the next of kin, as I am his personal account manager. Just three days ago, I received another notice indicating that I must provide a next of kin to claim the funds or the account will be frozen within ten official working days.
Given my ongoing challenges in locating any relatives, I am reaching out to ask for your help. I am seeking your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased since you share the same last name. This would allow you to claim the account, which is valued at $7,472,000 We could then split after the funds are retrieved.
I assure you that this operation will be conducted legitimately to protect us both from any legal issues. To facilitate this process, we would enlist the services of an attorney to help revalidate and notarize the necessary legal documents supporting our claim.
I would be glad to share my ID and any further information you might need to make a more informed decision. I look forward to your response so we can discuss the next steps.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Best regards,
Sylviajohnson407@gmail.com
Sylvia Johnson

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam