419 scam: "Ray Griggs"<yuko.hotta@mofa.go.jp> Attention 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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
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.
- admiralgriggs@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Ray Griggs" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <raygriggs2020@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Apr 2019 23:34:44 +0300
Subject: Attention Friend

Dear friend,

Greetings, dear friend, My name is Ray Griggs from Australia who works in Syria. I really want to have you as my very good friend and I also want to entrust some funds to your care for business investment. But I have already sent the funds from Syria in boxes as personal luggage, so, in good faith and confidence, I assure you that you will never be disappointed.
I have $ 8.6 million, it is a gold money from the business I made here with a value of $ 252 million, but the $ 8.6 million indicated is my part of the business and it is legal, the most important thing is the trust between us, once the funds received through the courier company, you will get 30% and 10% of the expenses and then 60% until my arrival to meet with you.
Indicate your interest in providing this information so that the courier company begins delivery in your country.

Full name:
Home address:
Phone number:
Occupation:
Email address:

I await your urgent response.

Greetings.
Raymond Griggs
Email: admiralgriggs@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam