419 scam: "Mr. Cliff Hill"<cliffhill905@yahoo.es> PLEASE, TREAT THIS PROPOSAL AS A TOP SECRET.

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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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "observe utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- +27734341145 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- cliffhill2001@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Cliff Hill" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <cliffhill2001@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 10:44:51 -0800
Subject: PLEASE, TREAT THIS PROPOSAL AS A TOP SECRET.

Estate Managerial Office
African Development Bank
Tel: +27-734341145
Email: cliffhill2001@gmail.com

ATTN: Dear Partner

Permit my contacting you unsolicited, I wish to inform you that this mail is not a hoax mail. I am Mr. Cliff Hill, a staff member of African Development Bank of South Africa. I have an urgent and very confidential business proposal for you, An American Gold consultant with the South African Solid Gold Corporation Mr. W Ali Bryant made a numbered time fixed deposit for twelve calendar months. This was valued at Fourteen Million Five Hundred Thousand U.S. dollars in our branch. Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his employers, that Bryant had died in a plane crash in Alaska on an Alaska Airlines flight number 261. On further investigation, I found out that in his will he left a message that the inheritor of his estate should not forget about charity, however Mr. Ali did not leave a name in this will. I then tried to contact family/friend/colleagues and all attempts to trace his next of kin

I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. W. Ali did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents, including his bank deposit paperwork in my Bank. The sum of US$14,500,000.00 is still sitting in our Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Laws of Republic of South Africa, at the expiration of (7) seven years, the money will revert to the ownership of the South African Government if nobody applies to claim the fund. Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to Mr. Ali. Bryant so that the fruits of this old man's labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials. This is simple, I would like you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the attorney will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits that will put you in place as the next of kin.

A bank account in any part of the world that you will provide will then facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of kin. The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you. There is no risk involved at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done by the attorney and my position as a prominent official of A.D. BANK guarantees the successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested, please reply immediately via my contact numbers above.

Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction. Please send me your confidential telephone numbers for easy communication. Please observe utmost confidentiality, be rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your country. Awaiting your urgent reply via my confidential contact details, please you should call me on my telephone first to acknowledge this letter.

PLEASE, TREAT THIS PROPOSAL AS A TOP SECRET.

Best Regards,

Mr. Cliff Hill

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam