419 scam: "Colin Bell" <webmaster@shinecleaner.ro> CONFIDENTIAL LETTER FROM MR COLIN BELL

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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.
This email message is a next of kin 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.
- colinbell.hsbcacct@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Colin Bell" <webmaster@shinecleaner.ro>
Reply-To: colinbell.hsbcacct@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2023 06:36:38 +0200
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL LETTER FROM MR COLIN BELL

Hello, greetings

Please accept my apologies for sending you a surprise letter. I'm Mr., Colin Bell, account manager at an HSBC Bank London. I have a very important matter I want to discuss with you. There is a checking account opened at my company by a long-time customer of our bank. I have the opportunity to transfer the remaining fund ($9,340,000.00, Nine million, three hundred and forty thousand US Dollars) belonging to one of our international clients who was killed on December 24, 2022 during Russia's war against Ukraine. And being unmarried, he did not declare any next of kin as heir apparent when the account was opened, although as his account manager he told me that he will later forward the name of one of his relatives as his next of kin to the account he does not fulfill before meeting death.

I want to introduce you to our bank for this business as the legitimate next of kin. All I require is your honest cooperation and I assure you that this will be performed under a legitimate agreement that will protect us from any breach of law. I agree that 40% of this money will go to you as my foreign partner, 50% to me and 10% to the financier, there is an outstanding debt of $183,200.00 Dollars, which I have discussed with a financier who is willing to pay the total fee through you as my (foreign partner). If you are genuinely interested in my proposal, please let me know by providing me with the information below.

Your full name:
Business name:
Residential address of your residence:
Your official occupation:
Your mobile number:
Your age:

The financier will remit the outstanding fee to you once I receive your willingness to help me execute the funds transaction successfully. You don't have to pay any money from your pocket.

Reply me to my private email.(colinbell.hsbcacct@gmail.com)

Have a nice day while I await your feedback.

Best regards,
Colin Bell
Account Manager

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam