419 scam: "Allen Smith"<smithallen12@gmail.com> please Respond As Soon As Possible

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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)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Allen Smith" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <smithallen1124@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2010 23:19:08 +0100
Subject: please Respond As Soon As Possible

Dear Friend,

My name is Mr Allen Smith from Bills & Exchange Department HSBC BANK
8, Canada square London, United Kingdom.

I would want to use this medium after going through your profile to
seek for assistance in a business transaction which is of mutual
benefit. A foreigner late Mr.David McGrath who is from the United
State, an Oil merchant/Contractor with the British Government , until
his death in a ship mishap on the 2nd of May 1999, who Banked with us
at our Bank and had a closing balance of US$21.5 million ,which the
Bank does not know any of his available next of kin to claim this
fund. To this regards, I have been directed by the board of Trustees
of the bank to notify the diseased next of kin, which I have done and
found out that he has no next of kin, which means that this funds will
be lost to the government,which we all know will be stolen by the
British Government officials.

In order to avert this development, myself and some of my trusted
colleagues in the bank now seek your indulgence to have you stand as
late Mr David McGrath next of kin so that the fund will be
subsequently transferred and paid into your foreign account.On
indicating your interest, all documents and proofs to enable you get
this funds will be carefully worked out and we are assuring you a 100%
risk free transaction. You will be allowed to retain 30% of the total
amount after the transaction.

If this proposal is okay by you, and you wish to take advantage of the
trust bestowed on you mail me as soon as possible via my private email
address to enable me furnish you with relevant details to this
transaction.

Note: This transaction will only last us 10 working days.Please,
disabuse your mind by not equating this, with the every day online
scam that people come across everyday,but rather treat it with the
utmost level of promptness and confidentiality.

Best regards,
Mr Allen Smith
HSBC BANK 8, Canada square London,
United Kingdom.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam