419 scam: "Jon Burns" <stevenwalker.esq@sify.com> Once In A Lifetime!

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",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)
- "contact me immediately" (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: "Jon Burns" <stevenwalker.esq@sify.com>
Reply-To: joburns001@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2009 18:15:12 +0530
Subject: Once In A Lifetime!

Dear Friend,

I write to you as a matter of uttermost urgency in respect of a
business transaction which i trust will be of interest to you.

It pertains certain accounts which in the wake of the september
11 attacks were "MARKED" by the Counter- terrorism unit of the
FBI, these accounts are belonging to key arab businessmen and
influential players in the mid-east,these accounts have been a
subject of investigation and has since been cleared by the
agency and I have been entrusted with the duty of returning the
accounts to the rightful owners but unfortunately a lot of these
people are no where to be found.

Should you be interested, my proposal is for you to be the sole
beneficiary of these funds which is running into $126,000,000
USD. This partnership is to be on 50%-50% basis.

Pls contact me immediately if you are interested with your name,
address,sex and occupation.

Yours faithfully,
Mr.Jon Burns.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam