419 scam: "MR. TIMOTHY F GEITHNER" <mr.timothygeithner@yahoo.com> DEPARTMENT OF INT'L AFFAIRS

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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "fabulousharris@ymail.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "fabulousharris@ymail.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +22999447505 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. TIMOTHY F GEITHNER" <mr.timothygeithner@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: fabulousharris1@live.com
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:26:58 -0400
Subject: DEPARTMENT OF INT'L AFFAIRS

DEPARTMENT OF INT'L AFFAIRS
(Office of the Under Secretary)
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington D.C. 20220.

Urgent Attention,

I am Mr.Timothy F. Geithner, Under Secretary for International Affairs of the
United States Treasury Department and was sworn in as the 75th Secretary of
the United States Department of the

Treasury in a ceremony attended by President Barack H. Obama, and Vice
President Joseph R. Biden Jr. , see below:
http://www.treas.gov/organization/bios/geithner-e.shtml

Following series of complains from Citizens of the United States as well as
Citizens of Other Countries In Europe over the Discrepancies and fraudulent
ways in which fund transfers are handled by

Africans which has made it impossible for a lot of People to claim their
Winning or Inheritance funds from most African Countries due to frauds and
illegal activities, A decision was reached recently

by the United States Treasury Department under the authority of the White
House to compel African Financial bodies (Banks) to urgently release all funds
of American and European citizens that are

trapped in most Banks and Courier Companies in Africa. It was discovered that
some bureaucratic bottlenecks was put by these Banks and Couriers to make it
impossible for beneficiaries to claim

their funds so that they will fraudulently divert those funds to their private
accounts.

Consequent upon the aforementioned, I was personally mandated to handle this
matter to ensure that all funds of our Citizens and others which are
fraudulently being trapped in African Banks are

urgently retrieved and paid to the actual Beneficiaries under a legal manner.
Our team of experts were delegated to Benin Republic, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and
Ghana for this task and we discovered

your File NO: BR227/9005666/00 as unclaimed fund.It was discovered that
officials of the Bank has only put up illegal requirements in order to make it
difficult for you to claim your fund. The United

States Department of Treasury has retrieved all Files of illegal transactions
and we will be working under a legitimate arrangement to ensure that you
follow the normal process to receive your fund.

You are requested to Re-confirm the following information to Barr.Fabulous
Harris by e-mail:(fabulousharris@ymail.com)

1. SURNAME............
2. OTHER NAMES................
3. PHONE NUMBER AND FAX......
4. ADDRESS...........
5. AMOUNT TO BE CLAIMED: $18.500,000.00 USD

Be informed that the above information will only enable us to make due
confirmation. We shall ensure that normal process is followed to ensure that
your fund gets to you without delay.Contact

Barr.Fabulous Harris who is right in Benin Republic as the Legal Practitioner
to United States Department of Treasury e-Mail
below:(fabulousharris@ymail.com) Call Barr.Fabulous Harris on his phone

for urgent attention: +229 99447505

Warm Regards
Mr. Timothy F. Geithner
(Under Secretary).

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam