419 scam: "HARUNA BUHAWA"<user: acer@hotelromasulmare.com> Urgent 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:

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:
- ",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)
- "offshore 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.

Fraud email example:

From: "HARUNA BUHAWA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <hawa213@blumail.org>
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:31:32 -0000
Subject: Urgent Reply

Dear Propose Partner,

May I confide in you? If yes, please I do have reason for both of us to enshrine total trust and confidence in my quest for you to be my foreign benefactor.

Honestly I want you to keep a part payment of my 10% contract commission bill which amounted to US$45,000,000 from contractors whose 100% claims had been paid accordingly remaining my 10% which the firms agreed to compensate me with; for shortlisting and approving their contract biddings.

The money is just for my gratification and presently in offshore account in Europe. But Can I trust you to receive and keep this money for me for mutual benefit and investment purposes in your country. This is because, the code of conduct in my country, civil servants are precluded from operating foreign account which implies that this my 10% must be paid to a trusted and faithful partner overseas and that is why I contacted you hoping that you will not betral the trust and confidence I imposed on you.

I will give you a reasonable compensation as your share if you will not betray me. Then I can tell you what to do to proceed on the project fast.

Please treat this as atmost urgent and confidential. I wait your kind opinion on this.

This is 100 risk free and legitimate but unofficially because it is my personal gratification.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

HARUNA BUHAWA

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam