419 scam: "Mr. James Harris" <harrisjms@telexdpt.heliohost.org> Re: Greetings...

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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:

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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "u.k " (this email uses bad English)
- "is 100% risk-free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- jamesharris158@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. James Harris" <harrisjms@telexdpt.heliohost.org>
Reply-To: jamesharris158@aol.com
Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2019 05:36:19 +0000
Subject: Re: Greetings...

--
Greetings,

The internet has been grossly abused by scam artists and miscreants
whose intention is to hurt. As much as one should be careful, we should
not allow negative to kill the positive potential in a realistic
business, please read my proposal carefully is 100% Risk-free.

My name is Mr. James Harris the Branch Manager, Alder More Bank Plc
London Cash-Office Branch (UK), married with three children. I am
writing this letter to ask for your support and cooperation to carry out
this business opportunity in my department. Andreas Schranner A German
business magnate who made a numbered fixed deposit with this branch
worth $ 12M (Twelve Million United State Dollars) and I was lucky to
have the scan documents with me in save position. I discovered from his
contract employers, the Petroleum Corporation that Mr. Andreas Schranner
died in plane crash Monday, 31 July 2000 (Air France jet liner) with his
entire family and other passengers on board as you can confirm it
yourself via the website below for BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/859479.stm

According to the U.K banking law after the expiration of 20yrs (Twenty)
years, if nobody apply for the claim it will be confiscated as state
treasury if nobody apply for the claim, I am seeking for your support to
stand as next of kin/ beneficiary to claim these funds so that we move
it into useful investments, I am ready to share with you 60% for you and
40% will be kept for me, You will provide an offshore account where the
funds will be transferred to reason while I am contacting you is because
I cannot stand in the forefront to claim the funds alone because I am
currently working with the bank, reply to my private E-mail:
(jamesharris158@aol.com)

I will like you to provide me the following details if you are
interested:

(1) Your Valid Direct Tel / Mobile / Fax Number.
(2) Your Full Name:
(3) Current Resident Address.
(4) Your Private E-Mail Address.
(5) Your Occupation:
(6) Your Age and Sex:
(7) Your Nationality:

Then I will furnish you with two processes of concluding this
transaction without any delay. please discard this message if you are
not interested. One Passionate appeal, I will not make it to anyone
else, if you have any reason to reject this offer, please and destroy
this message.

Thanks for your kind understanding.

Mr. James Harris

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam