419 scam: "Mr. Stephen Hester" <privtq234@att.net> PLS URGENTLY REPLY '

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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:
- "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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
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.
- rbs.directorprivate@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Stephen Hester" <privtq234@att.net>
Reply-To: <hester.stepn@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2011 20:51:28 -0800
Subject: PLS URGENTLY REPLY '

P O Box 10720
217 Strand
London WC2R 1AP

Good day,

I am Mr. Stephen Hester ,the Group chief executive of Royal Bank Of Scotland. I personally discovered a dormant
account with a total sum of $25,000,000.00 {TWENTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS] during our Bank's Annual Year Account
Auditing.
Since the death of the deceased, nobody has operated in this account till date. Moreover, this account has NO
BENEFICIARY attached to it. Definitely, this fund will be confiscated by our BANKING CODE OF ETHICS if it
remains dormant for a period of [10] year without any claims. In this regard, I earnestly need your full
cooperation in transferring this money out of our bank to avoid our bank confiscating this fund.
HOW THE TRANSACTION CAN BE HANDLED: As the group chief executive/finance director of our bank, all our client account
details and file are in my possession and that makes it easy for me to include your name as the beneficiary of
the fund in all necessary documents involving the money we wish to transfer out from our bank.

Most importantly, you will be required to:
(1). Act as the original beneficiary of the funds.
(2). Receive the funds into a business/private bank account.
(3). At the completion of this transaction, the sharing rates shall be 50% for me while 50% for you.

Note: I will split the transfer into two 2 stages for easy and smooth transfer. Firstly, the sum of
$20,000,000.00 will transfer to any valid foreign account you will nominate, then upon a successful
transfer without any disappointment from our side; I will then fly to meet you in your home destination for
sharing, thereafter we will jointly transfer the remaining balance of $5,000,000.00. I
will also like us to invest some part of the money in your country.

If you accept to work with me, you will be given 50% of the total money as your share and 50%. So the main
question is, will you partner me in this transaction. If you are willing to cooperate in this project,
Kindly view my identification link: http://www.rbs.com/about-rbs/g1/our-board.ashx (ABOUT US > MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE)

I AWAIT YOUR URGENT REPLY.

Yours Truly,
MR. STEPHEN HESTER
rbs.directorprivate@yahoo.co.uk

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam