419 scam: "Mr. Petru Saracut" <psaracut@9.cn> Request for Next of Kin/Will Beneficiary

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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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
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.
- psaracut1946@maktoob.com (Maktoob; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Petru Saracut" <psaracut@9.cn>
Reply-To: psaracut1656@9.cn
Date: Fri, 21 May 2010 19:36:49 +0600 (BDT)
Subject: Request for Next of Kin/Will Beneficiary

Mr. Petru Saracut
Berkeley Square London.
E-Mail: psaracut1946@maktoob.com

Subject: Next of Kin/Will Beneficiary to GBP 12,500,000.00 British Pounds
Sterling.

Dear Friend,

I am seeking for your co-operation to present you to my bank as the next
of kin/will beneficiary to Late Mr. Richard Burson, a foreign contractor
from United States of America who died on a plane crash in 1999 (Egypt Air
Flight 990) with his wife Lenor Burson. His wife and their two children
also perished in the air flight on their way to vacation. please view link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm

Before his death, he was a contractor to British National Petroleum
Co-operation (BNPC) and has a bank balance with my bank to the tune of
(Twelve Million, Five hundred Thousand Pounds sterling GBP) which will be
paid to you as his Next of Kin/Will Beneficiary. For your information, I
am the Head of Investigation Department of our bank.

The board of directors of my bank which I am also a member, mandated me to
look for any known relation of Late Mr. Richard Burson since after his
death. However, all my efforts to trace his next of kin was not successful
because he has no next of kin and none was mentioned in his official
documents in our bank, that is the main reason I am contacting you to ask
for your co-operation to stand as his next of kin, because it will amount
to injustice if I do not take this decisive step to secure this deposit
and invest it.

If nobody comes forward to claim the fund, it will be forfeited to the
government, based on that, I am contacting you to assist me in making this
transaction a reality. I only have to approve you as the next of kin/will
beneficiary and the fund will be paid to you as the beneficiary. We are to
share this money between ourselves and also donate 10% to charity and the
Haiti earthquake victims if you are interested in this offer, please
contact me through this email address: psaracut1946@maktoob.com

For details of this transaction and procedures, please do forward me your
full address, phone number/mobile number, your company name or occupation
these info will enable me commence immediately to secure all legal
documents in your favor on your acceptance to fully co-operate with me.

I await your urgent response to enable us start this project and nurture
it to reality.

Yours faithfully,

Mr. Petru Saracut
Head of Investigation Department

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam