419 scam: "Mr. Stephen Knight."<cosair@cosair.com.au> MY TRUSTED 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.

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:
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "a reliable and reputable person to handle this" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "there are practically no risks involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- stephenknightmrs@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Stephen Knight." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <stephenknightmrs@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2017 16:31:25 +0700
Subject: MY TRUSTED FRIEND

Dear Sir/ Madam,

My name is Mr. Stephen Knight.I am the Director Gold Card and Private Banking Unit Natwest Bank 4th Floor Water House Square ,138-142, Holborn, EC1N2T, London United Kingdom .

I came to know you in my Private Search for a reliable and reputable person to handle this confidential transaction. I write you this proposal in good faith.

I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit you and me, as the Director Gold Card and Private Banking Unit it is my duty to send in a financial report to my head office in England at the end of each business Quota. On the course of 1st /2nd Quota business report, I discovered that my branch in which I in charge made Sixteen million eight hundred and fifty thousand united state dollars (?16,850,000. 00)which my head office are not aware of and will never be aware of. I have placed this funds in an escrow call account with no beneficiary. As an officer of this bank I cannot be directly connected to this money, so my aim of contacting you is to assist me receive this money in your bank account and get 30% of the total funds as commission. ( all documents for deposit will be sent to you for records)

There are practically no risks involved, it will be a bank-to-bank transfer and all I need from you is to stand and claim as the original depositor of these funds as who made the deposit with my branch so that my head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account. If you accept this offer to work with me, and you find this proposal Suitable for you do furnish me with the following information.

FullName........ .........................................
ContactAddress..... ......... ......... ......... ........

Private TelephoneNumber...... ......... ......... ........
Age.......................................................

Occupation and Position.... ......... ......... .........

Marriage Status...... ......... ......... ......... ......

Gender...... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....

I will appreciate it very much,

If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not make undue advantage of the trust I have bestowed on you, and I assure you we can achieve it successfully. Thank you in advance and May God bless you and your family. You may reach me on my

I WILL APPRECIATE YOUR URGENT AND KIND RESPONSE ASAP, REPLY TO MY PRIVATE EMAIL : stephenknightmrs@yahoo.com

Mr. Stephen Knight.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam