419 scam: "Mr. John Martins"<j.martins2014@msn.com> RE: The Business Proposal

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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:
- "million british 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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. John Martins" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnmartins2014@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2015 07:04:59 +0100
Subject: RE: The Business Proposal

Hello,

Please accept my apology if i am intruding your privacy with this e-mail notification today. My name is John Martins, a retired financial consultant and business analyst based in London, England. I am writing you today as i wish to present a business transaction that will be of immense benefit to both of us if we work together.

The issue is a case of my client who willed a fortune to his next-of-kin of whom you bear the same surname with. My client and his next of kin died in a car accident few years ago and before their untimely death, my client left a deposit of over GBP12.5 Million British Pounds which I helped him to deposit in one of the leading banks here in the UK. Being his former consultant, the bank would not let me present myself as the beneficiary to claim the funds. Hence, this is why i seek your help to present you as the beneficiary since you bear the same last name with my deceased client.

If you are interested in my proposition, i am willing to offer you 40% of the total money for your help and on the successful completion of the transaction. I will need you to confirm your contact telephone number with your response, so we can discuss how to proceed further.

Best Regards,

Mr. John Martins

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam