419 scam: "vanessa" <vanessa@drcyrus.com> GOOD DAY

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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "vanessa" <vanessa@drcyrus.com>
Reply-To: bensb112@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 23:55:28 -0500
Subject: GOOD DAY

>From the Desk Of Peter Marriott
Telegraphic Transfer Department
Federal Reserve Bank.

ATTENTION PLEASE,

DID YOU SIGN THE DEED ON YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS OF $3.5 MILLION USD

THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUNDS HAS BEEN
GAZETTED TO BE RELEASED,VIA KEY TELEX TRANSFER (KTT) -DIRECT WIRE TRANSFER
TO YOU BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE FUND TRANSFER.

MEANWHILE,A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER,CLAIMING TO
BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE, THAT YOU ARE DEAD.

HERE ARE HER INFORMATION:
NAME:MRS.JANET MELLBERG
BANK NAME: CITI BANK,YORK.
BANK ADDRESS:NEW YORK, USA.
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 6503809428.

PLEASE,DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE ,AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS WOMAN
IS FROM YOU SO THAT THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE
FOR PAYING INTO THE WRONG ACCOUNT NAME.

THE RESERVE BANK GOVERNOR,EXECUTIVE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE
COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUND HAVE APPROVED AND
ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK WITH THE OFFICE OF THE
DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE / FOREIGN OPERATIONS,TO HANDLE AND
TRANSFER ALL FOREIGN INHERITANCE FUNDS THIS SECOND QUARTER PAYMENT OF THE
YEAR.

PROVIDE US WITH YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS FOR PROPER VERIFICATION OF FILE.

HOWEVER,WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO THE SAID
MRS.JANET MELLBERG,IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT SEVEN
WORKING DAYS FROM TODAY.

CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.
British Finance Monitoring Unit
>From the Desk Of Peter Marriotta
Telegraphic Transfer Department
Federal Reserve Bank.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam