419 scam: "Rev Christ Virgie" <rev_christb@yahoo.com> Urgent Transfer

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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:
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million british pounds" (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)
- ",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)
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.
- +447011196436 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Rev Christ Virgie" <rev_christb@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: revchristvirgie@live.com
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 18:37:29 +0100
Subject: Urgent Transfer

Deutsche Bank AG London
Winchester House
1 Great Winchester Street
London
EC2N 2DB UK

Dear

My name is Rev.Christ Virgie; I work in the Int. Operation Department in a Bank here in UK .My partner and I want to transfer out fund from our bank here in London, and the fund is of clean origin.

The owner of the money is a foreigner, a program leader. Until his death, The Late Mr. John Shumedja, has a huge investment here in the London and all over the world, as a matter of fact he has the sum of 18,000,000,00 £GBP (eighteen million British Pounds) in his account here in London, which is held with our bank.

We want to transfer this money into a safe foreign account abroad but I
don't know any foreigner whom I can trust, I know that this message will come to you as a surprise as we do not know ourselves before, but be sure that it's real and a genuine transaction

I was on an annual routine inspection when I discovered about this dormant domiciliary account with a balance of (18M £GBP) on further discreet investigation, I also discovered that the account holder has passed away (dead) leaving no beneficiary to the account. The bank will approve this money to any foreigner with legal claims, because the former operator of the a/c is a foreigner. I am certainly sure that nobody will come again for the claim of this money. A foreigner can only claim this money with legal claims to the account Holder; therefore I need your cooperation in this transaction. I will provide all necessary information/documents needed in order to claim this money, hoping in God that you will never let me down now and in the future.

You can also call me with this number +447011196436

Regards
Rev Christ Virgie

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam