419 scam: Allen Smith <allen_smith1@msn.com> treat as urgent from allen smith!!SHIP (RESPONSE NEEDEDICPŒë¸"

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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:
- "u.k " (this email uses bad English)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: Allen Smith <allen_smith1@msn.com>
Reply-To: infocbn@k.ro
Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 04:12:09 +0000
Subject: treat as urgent from allen smith

compliments of the season

i am esq allen smith, i have a russian client by name ENGINEER IVAN
GRIGORIEVICH
who died in october last year
2004 in iraq, he was killed by the insurgents in iraq
because he was a contractor there.
however, my client deposited financial documents and a reasonable sum of
money with a
storage company here in the u.k and the cash is in american dollars.

the storage company has contacted me since six months ago to provide my
clients children or relatives to claim
his gold and cash, but i have not been able to trace any of them and as at
the time of deposit, he did not state any body as next of kin, and there is

much pressure on me to provide one or the company will turn it to abandoned

deposit.

hence, i want to introduce you as his next of kin, please i need your
private phone and fax numbers, international passport and please treat this

as confidential.
yours sincerely,
Esq Allen Smith

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam