419 scam: "Mark West" <west_mark@list.ru> CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION

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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.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "transfer into your account" (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)
- "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.
- west_mark@list.ru (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mark West" <west_mark@list.ru>
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2016 05:02:02 +0800
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION

Hello Dear,

How are you my dear, My name is Mr.Mark West from UK London,I work with
one of the Banks here in England. My dear I want you to keep this
mail very secret as I would not like any member of our staff to hear about
it.

I am contacting you base on one of our late customer,Mr Wang Fat Wu
from CHINA who was an international cured oil dealer. He died last two
years in his home town in a car accident. Before his death, he has the
sum of ¢G25 Million Pounds here in my branch and I happened to be his
account officer. My dear I want you to stand as his next of kin so that my
bank will transfer this money into your bank account in your Country.

I have all the whole powers to present you as the Next of kin if you can
be able to work with me. Let's hear from you as soon as you get this
mail, so that we can further ahead for this transaction it will only take
few banking days to get this money transfer into your account.

Contact me on my private Email (west_mark@list.ru) if you are ready to do
this deal.

Your's faithfully,

Mr.Mark West

CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION
west_mark@list.ru
Mr.Mark West

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam