419 scam: "Damian Hill" <arts@theprojector.ca> Top Urgent.

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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.

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "necessary legal documents" (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. )
- "is highly confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Damian Hill" <arts@theprojector.ca>
Reply-To: info@damianhillchambers.com
Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2020 01:04:17 +0000
Subject: Top Urgent.

Dear Friend, I am Barrister, Damian Hill a solicitor at law. I am the Perso=
nal Attorney to Mr. Hanson Scott, a National of your country, On the 3rd of=
June 2014 my client and his family was involved in an auto crash, Unfortun=
ately they lost their lives. Since then I have made several inquiries to hi=
s embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives, which proved unsu=
ccessful. After these several attempts, I decided to contact you to assist =
in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they=
get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Finance Firm where this h=
uge deposit were lodged. Particularly, the Finance Firm where the deceased =
deposited this funds valued at $10 million U.S dollars (Ten Million U.S Dol=
lars) has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin of the deceased or =
have the funds confiscated within the next ten official working days. Since=
I have been unsuccessfull in locating any of his relatives for the past fi=
ve years, I now seek for your consent to present you as the next of kin of =
the deceased so that the proceeds of this funds can be cleared and transfer=
red to your account pending the negotiation of the sharing of the money bet=
ween us. I will provide the necessary legal documents that can be used to b=
ack up the claim of the funds. All I require is your honest cooperation to =
enable us seeing this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed =
under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the=
law. If you are interested please get to me by my email to enable us discu=
ss further, Please note that this business is highly confidential and risk =
free, we must keep it secret till the funds gets to your account. If you ar=
e interested please get back to me with the below information. (1) Your Val=
id Direct Tel/ Mobile/Fax Number. (2) Your Full Name: (3) Current Resident =
Address. (4) Your Private E-mail Box. (5) Your Occupation: (6) Your Age and=
Sex: (7) A valid international passport or drivers license Yours Faithfull=
y, Barrister Damian Hill

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