419 scam: "Al Marouf"<ahmed@meridianaspa.it> BUSINESS PROPOSAL..

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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:
- "trunk box" (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.
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.
- pmmad@mail.ru (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Al Marouf" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <pmmad@mail.ru>
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2015 12:40:11 +0100
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL..

Good day,
I am Hassan Ahmed, a rebel leader here in Aleppo Syria, I and my second in
command came across some money that was parked in a trunk box and the
money is worth over $ 13 million, in one of President Bashar
al-Assad's allies house and we have moved the money out of the war zone to
a security office as a medical equipment, but we are looking for a trust
worthy person that we can help us invest the money in a very lucrative business.

I am ready to share the profit 60-40 if the business goes well. I and my two children
will relocate to your country, I promised my children a better life out of Syria
and with you that will be possible.

If you can be of a help kindly get back to us through this Email, and if
you are not ready for the assistance please and please do not let this be
known to the world as this may bring division among us.

I have registered the boxes with $1000. I will give you the security company
information at your reply to this mail.You can send me response to my mail: pmmad@mail.ru.

Yours sincerely.
Hassan Ahmed

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam