419 scam: From Miss Lovelin <lovelin_sameul@kimo.com> Harvard Kennedy School: Contact Us

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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.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "might come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a orphan 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.
- lovelin_sameul@kimo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: From Miss Lovelin <lovelin_sameul@kimo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:13:46 -0500
Subject: Harvard Kennedy School: Contact Us

Hello,

From Miss Lovelin (lovelin_sameul@kimo.com) found the following link while browsing the Harvard Kennedy School web site and thought you might find it of interest.

Message from the sender:
>From Miss Lovelin For i know that this letter might come to you as a surprised, this is a result of helpless situation i found myself into. My name is Miss Lovelin, i am 19 years old girl from Cote D'Ivoire Abidjan in West Africa. I lost my all my family Father, Mother,my younger brother and two sisters in a car crash when our drivers was about to drive across the railway without knowing that the train was already at that point with speed. I am alive writing you today because i was fortunate to be at home as the time of the accident, since then i was helpless. I am writing you now from our church where i stayed now with the family of our church pastor family since the death of my family. Three days before the death of my father in the hospital after he recovered from coma he called me and told me that he kept the sum of US$3.100,000.00 ( THREE MILLION ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS) in a bank here.He instructed me to look for a foreigner who will assist me to claim the money in the bank for an investment abroad. I am writing you to assist me to stand as my guardian and the foreign beneficiary of the money and to receive the money in your country for an investment. As a result of the insecurity of my life and the money, i do not want to stay here any longer,i gave almighty God the glory and thanks that my father did not die immediately the accident but he died three days of the car crash. He instructed me where he kept all the documents while he was at the hospital,i will be glad if you can assist me so that the bank can release the money to you as i will join you in your country for the continuity of my education while you will help me to invest the money in a good business. I will forward to you all the information's that my late father gave to me on how to get the money out from the bank immediately only if you will promise me that you will not be betrayed me at the end. I am waiting to hear from you Your Lovely in the Lord Miss Lovelin.

Click on the link below (or cut and paste the address into a Web browser) to view the page:
Contact Us
http://www.hks.harvard.edu/about/alumni/contact_arrd

This message was sent by From Miss Lovelin (lovelin_sameul@kimo.com) through the Harvard Kennedy School's web site 'email this page' feature.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam