419 scam: "Dr Frank Harry " <frankharry29@hotmail.com> Contact My Secretary Today

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
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.
- smithkosi@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr Frank Harry " <frankharry29@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: smithkosi@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 05:16:08 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Contact My Secretary Today

Dear friend

I'm happy to inform you about my success in getting those funds
transferred under the cooperation of a new partner from paraguay.
Presently i'm in Paraguay for investment projects with my own share of the
total sum. meanwhile,i didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to
assist me in transferring those funds despite that it failed us some how.

Now contact my secretary,his name is Smith Kosi ,on this email address
(smithkosi@hotmail.com) and ask him to send you international check
worth of $800.000.00 which I kept for your compensation for all the past
efforts and attempts to assist me in this matter. I appreciated your
efforts at that time very much. so feel free and get in touched with my
secretary and instruct him where to send the amount to you.

Please do let me know immediately you receive it so that we can share the
joy after all the suferness at that time. in the moment, i am very busy
here because of the investment projects which me and the new partner are
having at hand, finally, remember that I had forwarded instruction to the
secretary on your behalf to receive that money, so feel free to get in
touch with Mr Smith Kosi he will send the check to you without any
delay. Remember his email address; and contact him immediately with this
email; (smithkosi@hotmail.com) , You can even forward your information
where you want him to send the check to you Such as

Your Full Name.....................
Your Contact Phone......................
Your Age...............
Your Address...................
Your State....................

with best regards,
Dr Frank Harry

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam