419 scam: "Barr. Madhu Hakeem"<maduhak1@yahoo.com> Kind Request

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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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Barr. Madhu Hakeem" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <madhuhakeem@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2012 20:35:58 +0100
Subject: Kind Request

Good Day.

First let me introduce myself. My name is Madhu Hakeem. I am the attorney to the son of Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi. I am sure you must have heard about the revolution sweeping my country, as you can see on the following links:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/27/gaddafi-family-assets-frozen-queen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WCp5rxNa1k

This has prompted me to leave the country to another African country which I will disclose to you in due time. I am writing to you as a trusted aid and personal lawyer to the son of the Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi.

We have secured the total sum of US$59Million from access crude oil account; this fund was moved during the Libya crisis and was deposited with a security company in a location, (not Libya) which I will let you know in due cause.

Now that the regime of Col. Gaddafi has come to an end, I have received instruction from my client Saif Al Islam Gaddafi who is currently on trial in Libya, to look for a partner to secure the money from the Security Company and move the funds abroad. We are ready to let you have 30% of the total sum, while you keep 70% for Saif Al Islam Gaddafi , till his trial is over.

I have all the papers to help us in getting the fund from the security company. Please if you are interested in this transaction, respond urgently so that I can brief you in details. This email should be kept confidential and must not be discussed to a third party.

I await your reply.

Regard.

Barr. Madhu Hakeem.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam