419 scam: Richard Griffin <rgriffin591@gmail.com> Can You Help Me

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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.

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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.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "greater london" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- rgriffin591@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Richard Griffin <rgriffin591@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 25 May 2014 20:27:01 -0600
Subject: Can You Help Me

Good day,

My name is Richard Griffin.I am the Head of Accounting, Audit Department of (Standard Chartered Bank). I am writing you about a business proposal that will be of an immense benefit to both of us. In my department, being the manager Greater London Regional Office, I discovered a Sum of £3.7M (Three Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling) in an account that Belongs to one of our foreign customers Mr and Mrs Omar Hussein (a Syrian family with English Citizenship) that was a victim of the Fighting Crisis in Syrian, killing him and family members after the went to Syria for a relatives marriage ceremony.

The choice of contacting you arose from the fact that I need a foreigner to pull this deal through. particularly due to the sensitivity of the transaction and the funds have to be moved to outside of the UK. confidentiality is topmost in the success of this transaction. Now, our bank has been waiting for any of the relatives to come-up for the claim but nobody has done that and since i have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin/Will Beneficiary to the deceased, so that the proceeds of this account valued at £3.7 Million Pounds can be paid to you.

This will be disbursed or shared in these percentages, 70% to me and 30% to you. I have secured all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up this claim we are making. All I require now is your honest Co-operation, Confidentiality and Trust to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee you that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect us from any breach of the law. If you can handle this transaction, kindly reply in my private E-mail (rgriffin591@gmail.com) or you drop your email address for more details so that I can tell you what particulars I require from you so that we can proceed.

Thanking you in anticipation of your favorable reply.

Yours sincerely,
Richard Griffin.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam