419 scam: "Mr. Douglas Adams" <dougmsdouglas@aol.com> Investment Fund Transfer

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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 united states 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)
- "confidentiality of this transaction" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
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.
- dougasadams@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Douglas Adams" <dougmsdouglas@aol.com>
Reply-To: dougasadams@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2014 21:15:18 +0100
Subject: Investment Fund Transfer

- This mail is in HTML. Some elements may be ommited in plain text. -

Attention:
Good day, please accept my apology for sending you this sensitive information without pre-informing you. This is due to the urgency of the information.
I am Mr. Douglas Adams a business consultant to a prominent Saudi Arabian from the Royal Family. My client is seeking for a confidential and credible foreigner, company or person with whom he can jointly invest with.
My client has Thirty Five Million United States Dollars (US$35,000,000.00) with a reliable Finance House in abroad. Due to his public nature hence I have been given the mandate to source for a credible person.
This is the proposal in summary:
[1] He wants these funds to be invested by a reliable person / company whom he can front without publicly disclosing his identity due to his public status.
[2] The funds will be moved/transferred to you inconspicuously through his Charity Foundation here in US.
[3] You will be entitled to 5% of the funds, which shall cover any initial expenses you may incur during the transfer process while you shall assist to invest the remaining 95%
In summery all that is required is your willingness to receive and invest 95% of the fund under profitable business or investment, which shall be decide later. On your acceptance of this proposal, I shall furnish you with full details of the transaction and the entire deposit documents shall also be made available to you.
Kindly indicate your willingness to receive the fund by return mail to my private email address
dougasadams@gmail.com
with your full name, contact address and direct telephone numbers to enable us proceed. I shall then forward a copy of my Identification for your verification.
Please remember to maintain absolute confidentiality of this transaction to avoid unnecessary exposure of the public figure involved.
I wait for the above requested information by email or my direct phone +1 (424) 444-1390
Best regards
Mr. Douglas Adams

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