419 scam: "Barr. Zaharah" <rit@richmond.com.tw> Let us achieve this together

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "million 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)
- ",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)
- "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)
- "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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "zaharah@qq.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Barr. Zaharah" <rit@richmond.com.tw>
Reply-To: zaharah@qq.com
Date: Tue, 08 Apr 2014 15:53:21 +0100
Subject: Let us achieve this together

Hello Dear,

I am Zaharah, a solicitor at law. I was the personal attorney to Mr. Imran Waheed, a national of Pakistan who used to work with an oil servicing company here in United Arab Emirates (Dubai) after which be referred to as my client.

Mr. Imran Waheed 49 years of age made a fixed deposit of fund valued at USD$14,000,000.00 (Fourteen Million United States Dollars Only) with a Bank here in Dubai and unfortunately lost his life in a Bhoja Air crash Boeing 737-200, registration AP-BKC performing flight B4-213 from Karachi to Islamabad (Pakistan) with 121 passengers and 6 crew members on board on April 20th 2012 on his visit to his country as you can see on the following link:
http://rt.com/news/plane-crash-pakistan-boeing-580/
http://www.bhojaair.com.pk/home/b4213.htm

He left no clear beneficiary as Next of Kin except some vital documents related to the deposit that is still in my possession.

Recently, the governing body of the Bank contacted me on this matter, requesting that I should notify the next of kin of my late client to claim the funds and I am yet to provide the Next of Kin to lay claims to the fund. I know that my client had no living next of kin but I went ahead and made several inquiries to his embassy to locate any of my late client's extended relatives but this has proved unsuccessful. Under a clear and legitimate agreement with you, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin, so that my late client's fund will not be confiscated by the Bank.

You and I can share the money, you will be entitled to part of the money for your role as the relative and next of kin of my late client. Be informed that there is no risk involved as all necessary legal documents that will be used to back you up as the legal beneficiary and next of kin of my late client will be procured.

All I require is your sincerity, honesty, co-operation and utmost good faith to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you and I from any breach of the law.

Kindly, get in touch with me through my e-mail ( zaharah@qq.com ) to enable us discuss further. You may also send your telephone number and name so that I can call you. Do not forget that a project of this magnitude requires utmost confidentiality and sincerity.

I look forward to your urgent response.

Thank you,

Barr. Zaharah

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam