419 scam: " WAYNE JOHNSON" <xx@yy> Awaiting your urgent response

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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:

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:
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447045769219 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: " WAYNE JOHNSON" <xx@yy>
Reply-To: johnmaier04@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 07:13:52 +0200
Subject: Awaiting your urgent response

Good day to you, My name is Barr. Wayne Johnson i want to present you as t=
he next of kin to my late client A British man who was a business man and a=
contractor here in London. before his death.he lost his family to an auto =
crash accident that took the life of his wife and daughters. he has no rela=
tive and he left the sum of $38,000,000.00 I have all the necessary documen=
ts that i will present to the bank here in and the funds will be transferre=
d to you as the next of kin since you bear the same surname with him. After=
the funds has been transferred to you, i will take $28,000,000.00 as my ow=
n share and you keep $10,000,000.00 to yourself. waiting for your response =
Barr.Wayne Johnson Phone:+447045769219

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam