419 scam: "Sgt. William E. Brown"<test@test.com> Urgent Attention

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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:
- "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "huge amount of money" (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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- sgt.william_e@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Sgt. William E. Brown" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sgt.william_e@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Jun 2011 03:56:43 +0530
Subject: Urgent Attention

Dearest One,

I am directing this to you, and pray you see it in good time as the situation requires very urgent attention. I am one of US Military forces,and one of the few still stationed in Iraq, I need to discuss some personal matter with you.

I know how difficult it may be to trust people you hardly know in matters like this because of the numerous scams transmitted via the Internet, but I am willing to send to you adequate proof of my identity as soon as we agree to work together, and of course if I can be assured that you will not use that and any other information I would be sharing with you against me in anyway, if my intentions are genuine, and for our mutual benefit.

I will be in some kind of mess in a couple of days if I cannot find a solution to take care of some very huge amount of money in US$ bills that I have concealed here for 9 months. I will require someone outside Iraq to take care of the pick up, and that is what I want us to discuss.

I am ready to compensate you with good percentage of this fund because no strings attached as Iraq is a war zone.if we agree to work together. Please get back to me
so we can discuss the details,and i will give you more details about the source of the money and my personal information, should you have any reasons to reject this
offer?just delete the mail and I will never bother you again. I appreciate your understanding. please get back to me via this email address only

Respectfully,
Sgt. William E. Brown.
Email:sgt.william_e@yahoo.com
Command Sgt. Baghdad Iraq.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam