419 scam: "FROM THE DESK OF MR.EDWARD J.BROWN."<INFO@LEE.COM> FROM THE DESK OF MR.EDWARD J.BROWN.

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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "huge deposit" (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)
- "million us dollars" (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)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
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.
- e_br187@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "FROM THE DESK OF MR.EDWARD J.BROWN." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <e_br187@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:23:34 -0800
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF MR.EDWARD J.BROWN.

FROM THE DESK OF MR.EDWARD J.BROWN.
UNITY TRUST BANK(UTB)
NINE BRINDLEY PLACE,BIRMINGHAM.B1 2HB
UNITED KINGDOM-ENGLAND

My name is MR.EDWARD J.BROWN THE CHIEF ACCOUNT WITH THE UNITY TRUST BANK(UTB)UNITED KINGDOM-ENGLAND ,I am the personal Accountant, Banker to Engineer Frederick Wong ,a National of your country, who used to work with shell Development company in United kingdom-England. He died with his entire family on the 31st October 1999 in an Egyptian airline 1990 with other passengers on board.You can confirm this from the website below which was published by BBC WORLD NEWS.WEBSITE.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/502503.stm
Since then I have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended Relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to contact you as any-one can stand as a relative of the deceased so that the funds can be released to the person as the next of kin. I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they Get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposits were lodged, particularly the UNITY TRUST BANK(UTB)UNITED KINGDOM-ENGLAND. where the deceased had an account Valued at about ($28.5 Million US Dollars) has Issued me a notice to provide the next of kin. Or have the account confiscated within the next ten official working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 9 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased as I have mapped out all necessary modalities to accomplish this and protect your interest.

The Bank will release the funds to you as soon as all necessary document are presented in your name as the relative of the deceased standing as the next of kin.

The funds will be shared as follow as soon as it is transferred into your account; 50% will come to me, while 40% goes to you and the 10% will be used to settled all expenses incurred by both parties in the course of this transaction. An attorney will be contracted to help us revalidated and notarize all the necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. Like the Order of Mandamus from the high court which will enforce the bank to release the funds to you.

So provide the following information’s so we can proceed;
1 FULL NAMES
2FULL CONTACT ADDRESS
3 OCCUPATION
4 DATE OF BIRTH
5 TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS
6 YOUR BANKING ACCOUNT INFORMATION ,WHERE THIS FUND WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO
All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

As I hope to hear from you soon
BEST REGARDS,
EDWARD J.BROWN

CHIEF ACCOUNTANT WITH UNITY TRUST BANK(UTB)UNITED KINGDOM-ENGLAND
PLS CONTACT ME HERE Email :e_br187@yahoo.co.jp
61

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam