419 scam: M Gideon H <mgh@perio.unlp.edu.ar> RE: REPLY

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
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.
- gedoennet@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: gedoennet@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 09 Mar 2019 05:17:00 +0100
Subject: RE: REPLY

Dear Friend,

It is obvious that this proposal will come to you as a surprise. This is because we have not met before but I am inspired to send you this email of this huge fund transfer opportunity that will be of mutual benefit to both of us.

Firstly, let me start by introducing myself properly. I am Gideon Houssou, credit officer; TRUST FINANCIAL COMPANY here in Cotonou. I hope you will not betray this trust I want to have in you.

One Late Libyian, An Iron Steel Company Chairman with the Federal Government here in Benin until his death some years ago in an Auto Crash Deposited with us some amount of money amounting $14,000,000 (Fourteen million United States Dollars), the company now expects a next of kin as beneficiary of this deposit. Valuable efforts have been made by TRUST FINANCIAL COMPANY to get in touch with any of the late beneficiary family or relatives but to no avail.

Because of the perceived possibilities of not going to be able to locate any of the Late beneficiary next of kin, the management under the leadership of our chairman and members of the board of directors have made arrangements to declare the fund not claimable and therefore be used to import ammunition's into our country.

However, in order to avert this negative development, some of my trusted colleagues and I now seek the consent and involvement of a trusted person who we can present as next of kin to the Late beneficiary so that the fund (US$14,000,000) will be released and transferred into the persons account as the beneficiary.

All documents and proofs to enable you get this fund have been carefully worked out. We have secured from the probate, an order of mandamus to locate any of the deceased beneficiaries, and more so, we are assuring you that this business is 100% risk free involvement. Your share remains while the rest will be shared amongst myself and my colleagues for investment purposes anywhere according to agreement between us and yourself.

So, as soon as we receive an acknowledgment of the receipt of this our mutual business proposal from you, we would furnish you with the necessary disbursement ratio to suite both parties. If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not hesitate to contact me through my private e-mail : gedoennet@gmail.com

Looking forward to your urgent response.

Best regards,
Gideon.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam