419 scam: Mr kelvin Smith <bernardgraciad39aimed@yahoo.fr> From: Mr. Kelvin Smith

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "observe utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +22998085269 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- officeconsultant760@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr kelvin Smith <bernardgraciad39aimed@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: Mr kelvin Smith <officeconsultant760@yahoo.fr>
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 09:19:41 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: From: Mr. Kelvin Smith

From: Mr. Kelvin Smith
Cotonou, Republique du Benin

I am Mr. Kelvin Smith, working with Benin Republic as the seniorsupervisor in accounting / auditing department of our bank. I havedecided to contact you through this medium based on a businessproposal, which will be of mutual benefit to both of us. I know thismight sound like scam to you because of a lot of activities going onin the internet today. But I assure you that this is real.

I was the account officer to one of our late customer, a citizen ofyour country, who used to work with an oil servicing company here inRepublique du Benin, the late customer made a numbered time (fixed)deposited for 6years, valued at us 18.6 million (eighteen million sixhundred thousand euro) in my branch. Upon maturity, we sent a routinenotification to his forwarding address but got no reply.

After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from hiscontract employers, Benin Oil Corporation that the customer died in anautomobile accident. On further investigation, I found out that he didnot leave a will and all attempts to trace his next of kin werefruitless. I therefore made further investigation and discovered thatthe late customer did not declare any next of kin in all his officialdocuments, including his bank deposit paperwork.

This sum of (18.6 million Euro) is still sitting in the bank and theinterest is rolled over with the principal sum at the end of eachyear. No one will come forward to claim it. According to theRepublique du Benin law, at the expiration of 6(six)years, the moneywill revert to the ownership of the Benin government if nobody appliesto claim the funds. By the end of this month the account will beconfiscated if no come to claim the fund.

Please observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that thistransaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shallrequire your assistance to my share for investment in your country. inyour return mail, please do forward me your following information ifyou are willing to complete this deal with me, to enable me put thetotal fund in your name for claim as the next of kin to the deceasedperson:

Your full name:
Your contact address:
Your phone number:
Your age:
Profession:
Private email account
or call me +22998085269

Awaiting your urgent reply. officeconsultant760@yahoo.fr

Regards;

Mr. Kelvin Smith.

Anti-fraud resources:

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