419 scam: Kevin Haroun <kevinharo911@gmail.com> Hello Friend,

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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million 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)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "k.haro44net@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +22998780441 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Kevin Haroun <kevinharo911@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 11:36:53 +0100
Subject: Hello Friend,

Hello Friend,
Permit me to introduce myself; my name is Kevin Haroun, a private
financial consultant manager. I happened to have managed accounts for
Foreigners here in Cotonou Benin Republic, in discharge of my duty; I
found on this domiciliary account that has remained dormant for years
now with the sum of Fifteen Million Dollars.(US$15.000.000.00) I
contacted my director and we made inquiries and tried to contact the
account owner but discovered that the account holder Mr. Frederick M.
Wong and his wife, and three children were involved in the ill fated
Egypt Air Flight 767 Airways that crashed in November 1999 in which
all passengers on board died. We then opened his account file and also
discovered that he did not declare any next of kin or relations in all
his official documents in the bank. I was then instructed to find a
relation to the deceased client, so that the proceedings of his
account with our Bank can be released to the family. You can verify
more of the story in this site:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/502503.stm
I have tried now for over six months to find one but to no avail. Our
banking policy states that, if an account holder with our Bank is
decease in such a situation with no beneficiary, the funds are
confiscated after Fifteen years and remitted to the Government
treasury.
I am writing you so that we can work together to remit the funds to
you as the next of kin to engineer Frederick M. Wong because the funds
belong to a foreigner and has to be claimed by a foreigner as I would
not want this magnitude of money to just go to the Government purse. I
guarantee this transaction under a legitimate arrangement that will
not breach the law by both parties; it's a simple process which will
take a short while to process.
Upon receipt of your response l will give you more detail. You can
reach me on +22998780441 and email me at: k.haro44net@outlook.com for
more clarification.
Regards,
Kevin Haroun

Anti-fraud resources:

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