419 scam: RICHARD COULSON <richardcoulson77@gmail.com> ATTENTION: URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED

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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:

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:
- "hundred thousand 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)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: RICHARD COULSON <richardcoulson77@gmail.com>
Reply-To: r1ch_couls0n@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:21:36 -0500
Subject: ATTENTION: URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED

Greetings.

We are a Corporate Financial Service Provider in UK. We had a customer David
Leslie who deposited sum of seventeen million and nine hundred thousand United
States dollars (usd $17.9m) with us and eventually died in an air
crash (Cessna
500 Citation I) on the 30th of March 2008 in London, England without any
reference to a next of kin.

(View website)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/rallying/2295955/David-Leslie-killed-in-Kent-plane-crash.html

In accordance with the UK Trust and Federal Laws, at the expiration of 6 (six)
years, his investments with our Financial Trust shall revert to
ownership of the
government of the country of the said investments if nobody applies as
the next
of kin to claim the investments.

I want to present you to stand in as the next of kin so that you and I can
benefit from this investment equally.

I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate arrangement and I will
also arrange the necessary documents that will protect us from any
breach of the
law.

If you AGREE with my condition, l will advise you on what to do
immediately and
the transfer will commence without delay as I will proceed to fix your name on
the Payment schedule instantly.

MY CONDITIONS

1. The sum of USD$17.9Million only will be transferred into your nominated
account by telegraphic Transfer (T/T), confirmable in 7 working days after you
have confirmed the transfer of the funds into your account, 35% out of
the whole
sum will be for you, 10% for any expenses that may accrue during the
transaction
while 55% will be for me.

2. This deal must be kept secret forever, and all correspondence will be
strictly by email / telephone, for security Purposes.

Note: your private telephone numbers are required

I will instruct you on the next step to take.

With friendly greetings,

Richard Coulson

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam