419 scam: "Bran Steven Lee." <ed3220190@gmail.com> Greetings

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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:
- "into your nominated bank 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 us dollars" (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)
- ",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)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Bran Steven Lee." <ed3220190@gmail.com>
Reply-To: spotmail.brans@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2022 00:06:23 -0800
Subject: Greetings

Hello ,

I am Bran Steven Lee. A consulting Manager with China-trust
Commercial Bank, Dunbei branch, Taiwan. I have an urgent and very
classified
business proposition for you.

On the 7th day of January, 2020, a British Crude-Oil expatriate with
the Chinese Solid Minerals Corporation, Mr. Bruno made a numbered
time (Fixed) Deposit for Six calendar months, valued at
US$7,000,000.00(Seven Million US Dollars Only) in my branch.
Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address
but got no response.

After a month, we sent three reminders consecutively before I finally
discovered from his contract employers, that he and his wife suffered
and died from the Covid-19 pandemic. On further investigation, I found
out that he died without making a WILL, and all attempts to trace
other members of his family have proved fruitless, and they had no
children until the time of their painful deaths, his wife was his next
of Kin.

According to the Laws, if the fund is not claimed at the end of a
fifth roll-over, it reverts automatically to the ownership of the
Taiwanese Government.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to
stand in as the next of kin to Mr. Bruno so that the fruits of this
old man's labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt government
officials, with the said amount safely transferred into your
nominated bank account, we can then consider charity and do some good
humanitarian works. I know a very smart attorney who can swiftly
perfect the re-documentation process.

There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will
be done by the attorney and my position as a consultant to the bank
guarantees the successful execution of this transaction. If you are
interested, please revert back to me.

Upon your response, I will forward the entire details of the
transaction to you and I strongly belief it will be of immense
benefit to the both of us.

Awaiting your prompt response.

Regards,
Bran Steven Lee.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam