419 scam: "Sharon E. Burke" <sharon_eburke@terra.com> Greetings from U.S.A

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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:

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:
- "million 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Sharon E. Burke" <sharon_eburke@terra.com>
Reply-To: sharon_eburke@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2012 21:44:58 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Greetings from U.S.A

Greetings from U.S.A

                                   WASHINGTON. DC, OCTOBER 29, 2012
Sir,
         My name is SHARON E. BURKE (MRS), a member of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD); It will interest you to know that I have named you my beneficiary to receive USD$20,000,000 (Twenty Million Dollars) which I want to keep safely in your account and or any overseas account under your supervision.

My desire and purpose is to have you invest this US$20,000,000 in any profitable business in your country and retain the funds until my retirement which is coming-up in the next 4 years.

Bear in mind that this is a legitimate transaction, and the only reason why strict privacy is advised, is that the result of restrictions of the civil service laws in the United States.

Please indicate if you have a business plan to invest this US$20,000,000 for these 4 years, and let me know the line of business and its profit.

Kindly acknowledge the receipt of this e-mail message at your earliest convenient.

Best regards.
      SHARON E. BURKE(MRS).
Assistant Secretary of Defense for
Operational Energy, Plans and Programs.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam