419 scam: "Richard"<richhillrichhill@yahoo.co.uk> Bounty time!!!

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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)
- "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)
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a next of kin 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.
- rhillrichard@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Richard" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <rhillrichard@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2004 08:18:43 -0800
Subject: Bounty time!!!

Dear friend,

I? Mr. Richard Hill, the principal partner of the 4Stone Buildings, Lincoln? Inn and a personal attorney to the late Mr. Krane Goldberg, an American national who was an expatriate with the subsidiary of the BP Oil Company here in United Kingdom (UK) before his untimely death as a result of auto crash that also claimed the life of his, Mrs. Elizabeth Goldberg, including his two (2) children.

My late client deposited the sum of Five Million, Two Hundred Thousand British Pounds Sterling Only (?5, 200,000.00) with the Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank here in UK, which is the verge of being declared as unclaimed fund by the bank for subsequent transfer to the government account in accordance with the provisions of the British financial laws since nobody has come forward for the claim after the demise of Mr. Krane Goldberg.

I? contacting you to seek for your permission to present you to the & Leicester Commercial Bank as one of the relatives to my client with the support of my paper works to enable us claim this said fund on your name for safekeeping into your account pending my arrival in your country for the disbursement between both of us.

This motive became necessary after several unsuccessful attempts made to locate any of the family members of my late client both here in UK and overseas. If you agreed to work with me, I shall obtain the vital documents such as Affidavit and Order of Mandamus for the support of your official declaration as the assumed Next of Kin to the deceased.

In other words, my proposed transaction is 100% risk free, as all the required legal
formalities for the claim of this fund on your name shall be strictly adhered in line with the British laws on inheritance claim.

Please do confirm your interest by returning this mail

I anticipate your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Richard Hill
Principal Partner,
4Stone Buildings, Lincoln Inn, London
rhillrichard@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam