419 scam: "MR KELVIN TAN" <info@org.com> GREETINGS FROM MR KELVIN TAN

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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:
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
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.
- mrkelvintan82@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR KELVIN TAN" <info@org.com>
Reply-To: mrkelvintan59@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2015 23:05:13 -0500
Subject: GREETINGS FROM MR KELVIN TAN

Good day Sir/Madam,

Before the U.S and Iraqi war our client Mr.Fayez A Mohamed a business
merchant made a fixed deposit of USD26.5 Million for 2Yrs where i was the
only one that knew about his deposits. Upon maturity during the war in
2003,Fayez,his wife and only daughter died in a bomb blast that hits His
Resident.Investigations showed that he didnt declear any next of kin.As a
foreigner,I want you to stand as the next of kin to claim the fund for us
because soon the fund will be claimed by my government if no one comes for
it.This is the laws of my country that if there is a mutured fund for 13
years and 10 months, and no body comes for it the fund will be reverted to
the account of the government of my country. Instead of this fund to
return to my government purse,lets work together to get it.The fund is in
my bank and i am the Manager so, when my lawyer applies for the fund to be
released to you,it would be approved. I have already paid my Attorney to
make everything very legal and for the transfer of the fund to legally go
through all international banking laws. Please do get back showing
interest if you ocan handle this transaction with me.please contacts this
email mrkelvintan82@gmail.com for more details

Upon your response i would provide you with more details and documents to
proceed quickly.

I await your urgent response.

Regards,
Kelvin Tan.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam