419 scam: "Tom Middleton"<middletontom76@law.org> Hello!hn Peter John Tugwelln of GBP3, 500.000.00 BritishPŒë¸"

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- middletontom76@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Tom Middleton" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <middletontom76@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2010 11:18:18 +0100
Subject: Hello!

Greetings,

This is a personal email directed to you and I request that it be treated as such. I am Barrister Tom Middleton, a solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney/sole executor to my late client Mr. Randolf (Surname Withheld), hereinafter referred to as 'my client' who worked as an independent oil magnate in my country and who died in a car crash with his immediate family on the 4th of oct,1998.

Since the death of my client, I have written several letters to the embassy with intent to locate any of his extended relatives whom shall be claimants/beneficiaries of his abandoned personal estate and all efforts have been to no avail.

I have received official letters in the last few weeks suggesting a likely proceeding for confiscation of his abandoned personal assets in line with existing laws by the bank in which my client deposited the sum of 13.9 million USD.

On this note I decided to search for a credible person and finding that you bear a similar last name, I was urged to contact you, that I may, with your consent, present you to the "trustee" bank as my late client's surviving family member so as to enable you put up a claim to the bank as a next of kin of my client. I find this possible since you bear a similar last name with my client making it a lot easier for you to put up a claim. I propose that 45% of the net sum will be retained by you at the conclusion of this deal as long as I do not incur further expenses.

Contact me via email signifying your interest and I shall immediately appraise you with full details and I guide you on how to put up an application to the bank for the claims. I require only a solemn confidentiality on this from you and do not entertain any fears as all required arrangements have been made for the safe transference of the funds to you. Send me your Full names, contact address ,Fax and phone number.

Please Email me on my Private Email : middletontom76@gmail.com

Best regards,

Tom Middleton.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam