419 scam: David Crystal <aavidcrystal@yahoo.co.jp> FOR YOUR PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL ATTENTIONON70457 1785PŒë¸"

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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "million 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)
- "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)
- "deadline" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: David Crystal <aavidcrystal@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: daavidcrystal@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:26:56 +0300
Subject: FOR YOUR PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL ATTENTION

Dear Sir/Madam,

I live in the United Kingdom, a lawyer by profession. I am contacting you to
assist with some very urgent matter involving a late client of mine, Vladimir
Stjepan who died five (5) years ago here in Edinburgh.

I oversaw all his investments before he died. The bank where he lodged
a deposit
of 8.4 million pounds sterling (about US$15,000,000.00) has been
sending several
notices to me to bring forward any of his relatives to claim this money.
However, the late Vladimir Stjepan left no "Will" before his death and all my
search in the past five years for anyone related to him has yielded no
fruitful
result. Now, the bank has given me a deadline of two months to bring his
relative forward to claim the money or the funds will be forfeited to
government
treasury.

I do not want this to happen because this will be a complete loss. This is the
reason I am contacting you. Since you come from the same geographical
region as
my late client who owns this money, I want to submit your name to the bank as
next-of-kin (relative) to the bank with all the relevant deposit documents and
information in my possession. Thereafter, I shall apply to the bank to release
this money to your account officially as entitled beneficiary to the funds.

When the money is released, you and I will share the money (60% for me and 40%
for you). This plan will be a complete success ONLY if you can keep it secret
and desist from discussing it with anyone.

Please contact me immediately and I will give you other useful
information about
this plan. There is no risk at all to be involved once you are willing
to follow
my instructions and advice completely. Contact me only by e-mail. My
firm is not
aware of my plan and I want to carry it out on a very confidential scale. Send
me your phone number in your response and I shall call you. Please treat this
matter as urgent!

Yours faithfully,

David Crystal.

David Crystal.
Slee Blackwell Solicitors
31 Queen Street;
Exeter EX4 3SR
England.

Phone 08000 052 3620

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail and any attachments are for the exclusive
and confidential use of the intended recipient. If you are not the intended
recipient, please do not read, distribute, or take action in reliance
upon this
message. If you have received this in error, please notify us immediately by
return e-mail and promptly delete this message and its attachments from your
computer system. We do not waive client-attorney or work product privilege by
the transmission of this message.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam