419 scam: "DR. KUNLE YUSUF" <anthonywm007@gmail.com> POLICY HARMONISATION COMMITTE REGARDING YOUR COMPENSATION

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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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +22967359342 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- policyharctte@cooltoad.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "DR. KUNLE YUSUF" <anthonywm007@gmail.com>
Reply-To: policyharctte@cooltoad.com
Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:48:08 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: POLICY HARMONISATION COMMITTE REGARDING YOUR COMPENSATION

REPUBLIQUE DU BENIN
POLICY HARMONISATION COMMITEE
SUB SECTION WEST AFRICAN MONITORING UNIT
Our Ref: PHC/WAMU/BJN/ZZ057
+229 67-35-93-42
E-mail: (policyharctte@cooltoad.com)

ATTENTION TO THE OWNER OF THIS EMAIL ADDRESS
WE GOT AN INFORMATION THAT YOU PAID MONEY TO PEOPLE WHO CALLED THEM SELF COURIER COMPANY OR WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC IN WEST AFRICA, MY DEAR. WHY DO YOU LIKE TO WEAST YOUR MONEY TO THE PEOPLE WHO CLAIM WHAT THEY ARE NOT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE TOLD YOU ABOUT THIS PEOPLE, WE GOT THE INFORMATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERMENT OFFICE BENIN WHEN OUR SECRETARY WENT TO FEDERAL GOVERMENT OFFICE YESTERDAY BECAUSE YOUR NAME IS AMONG THE PEOPLE THEY INSTRUCTED CENTRAL BANK OF WEST AFRICA TO COMPENSATE WITH $200,000,00. BECAUSE OF THE MONEY YOU HAVE LOST HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC TO THE SCAMMERS IN OTHER TO SAVE THE NAME OF THIS COUNTRY.

THE $200,000,00. IS WITH CENTRAL BANK OF WEST AFRICA NOW, FOR YOUR INFORMATION, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO PAY THE BANK BEFORE THEY TRANSFER YOUR FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT, THE ONLY THING THEY WILL ASK YOU IS YOUR BANK INFORMATION WHERE THEY WILL TRANSFER THE MONEY TO YOU, IF YOU CAN BE ABLE TO COME DOWN HERE YOUR SELF IT WILL NOT COST YOU ANYTHING BUT IF YOU CAN NOT MAKE IT TO COME DOWN HERE THEN YOU WILL ONLY PAY $250 TO THE CENTRAL BANK OF WEST AFRICA ATTORNEY BARRISTER UDALOR FESTUS. IN OTHER TO SIGN YOUR FUND RELEASE OTHER ON YOUR BEHALF AND SUBMIT TO THE BANK MANAGEMENT ON YOUR BEHALF,

WE NEED YOUR URGENT REPLY TO KNOW IF YOU CAN BE ABLE TO COME DOWN HERE OR FOR THE ATTORNEY TO HELP YOU SIGN THE FUND RELEASE OTHER ON YOUR BEHALF WITH $250. PLEASE WE NEED YOUR URGENT REPLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE ONLY ONE WEEK TO CLAIM THE $200,000,00. FOR YOUR INFORMATON THE MONEY IS JUST COMPENSATION TO YOU JUST BECAUSE OF THE MONEY THAT YOU HAVE LOSE TO THE SCAMMERS.

WAITING FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE.

BEST REGARDS
DR. KUNLE YUSUF

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam