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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Rajesh Anand" <harmony_products@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 07 Oct 2005 01:59:59 +0000
Subject: BE OUR COMPANY'S REPRESENTATIVE (HARMONY PRODUCTS)

HARMONY PRODUCTS [CHEM AND HERB INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL]
                       MANUFACTURERS & EXPORTERS OF PAINT ADDITIVES
                9, SAIBABA DHAM, SAIBABA NAGAR, BORIVLI (WEST) MUMBAI
                                         MAHARASHTRA, INDIA
 
 

DEAR SIR/ MADAM,
 
HARMONY IS ONE OF THE WIDELY ACCLAIMED COMPANIES ENGAGED IN THE MANUFACTURE AND EXPORT OF COATING ADDITIVES LIKE DEFOAMERS, DISPERSING AGENTS, THICKNERS, PRESERVATIVES, AND A HOST OF OTHER PRODUCTS.
WE ARE ALSO INTO THE EXPORTATION OF RAW MATERIALS [CHEMICALS AND HERBS] TO WESTERN COUNTRIES TO BE USED FOR FINISHED PRODUCTS. OUR COMPANY IS STRICTLY INTO EXPORTATION WITH A SUBSIDIARY IN SINGAPORE.
 
PRESENTLY, WE ARE SOLICITING THE HELP OF TRUST WORTHY INDIVIDUALS OR COPORATE BODIES WHO WOULD ACT AS OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN AMERICA, EUROPE AND ITS ENVIRONS.
THE REASON IS THIS, SOME OF OUR CUSTOMERS ARE MAINLY FROM THAT PART, AND THEY FIND IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE PAYMENT TO US BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCE .
 
IN ADDITION, OUR BANK HERE IN INDIA HAS NOT RECOVERED FROM THE LAST NATURAL DISASTER [tsunami] THAT TOOK PLACE IN THIS PART. AS A RESULT, THE BUILDING WAS BADLY DAMAGED AND LOTS OF DATA WERE LOST TO THE WRECKAGE.
 
SO WE ARE ASKING YOU TO RECEIVE THESE PAYMENTS ON OUR BEHALF [the payments are mostly in certified bank cheques, money order], YOU WILL HELP US CLEAR AND SEND THE MONEY DOWN TO US.
DUE TO THE FACT THAT YOU ARE FAR FROM US, WE CANNOT PAY YOU LIKE OUR PERMANENT STAFF, INSTEAD YOU WILL BE PLACED ON A 7.5% COMMISSION(NEGOTIABLE) OF ANY AMOUNT YOU CLEAR FOR US.
 
YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE IS DECIDEDLY NEEDED, AS WE HAVE CUSTOMERS WHO WANT TO MAKE PAYMENT IMMEDIATELY. WE HAVE PUT THEM ON HOLD BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN A CAPABLE HAND YET TO DEAL WITH.
 
PLS NOTE: THAT ONLY ELIGIBLE PERSONS SHOULD RESPOND.
ALL CORRESSPONDENCE [REPLY] SHOULD BE SENT TO THE PERSONNEL AND HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER, INCHARGE OF EMPLOYMENT.
NAME: MR RAJESH ANAND
EMAIL: response_harmony@yahoo.co.in
[http://www.chem-n-herb.com/profile.html]
 
YOURS SINCERELY,
MR. RAJESH ANAND
LOGISTICS AND MARKETING OFFICE.
HARMONY PRODUCTS
--

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