419 scam: "Engr.Walter Brown" <venus.grigg@snhu.edu> Contact my secretary now!

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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:
- "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)
This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" 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.
- garymill456@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: garymill456@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2018 07:28:10 +0100
Subject: Contact my secretary now!

Dear Unpaid Beneficiary,

This is Engr.Walter Brown I'm very happy to inform you about my success in getting the fund transferred under the co-operation of a new partner from Poland.Presently Iâ€™m in Poland for some personal investment project.

Meanwhile, I didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me in the realization of this endeavor despite the fact that it failed us along the way.

Now, contact my secretary, his name is Mr. Gary Mill and his email address is : (garymill456@gmail.com) i have given him all neccessary instructions to send you the total amount of $9,700,000.00 which was kept for you as compensation for all the past efforts.

I did appreciate your efforts as at that time very much. So feel free and get in touch with my secretary, Gary and instruct him where to send the amount to you promptly.

Please, do let me know immediately when you receive it so that we can all finally share in the joy together after all the sufferings and delays at that time. However as at this moment, I am very busy here because of the investment projects with my new partner at hand.

Finally, remember that I had forwarded instruction to my secretary on your behalf. So feel free to get in touch with him and he will send the amount to you.

Thanks, and my greetings to you and your family.
With best regards,
Engr. Walter Brown.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam