Cheap Gold Scam
Everyone loves a bargain and in uncertain times Gold is said to be a good place to put your money. So when you receive an unexpected e-mail offering Gold below current market prices it might be worth looking into. But be wary it could be a scam... there might not be any gold and if you pay up-front the gold might not be delivered. Is the gold of sufficient purity or is it some metal merely gold-plated. All the "hallmarks" of a 419 Scam are present but let's find out more.
E-Mail received (the introduction):
Date: 9/02/2025, 07:53
From: Kojo Harata KojoHarata@zohomail.com
To: [Name and E-Mail redacted]
Reply to: kojoharata@dfmteknoloji.com
Subject: ***SPAM*** GOLD FOR SALE / INVESTMENT PERTNERSHIP
Hello,
Our Ref: MG205/522:01/CM/AU/25
ATTENTION : Sir /Madam
GOLD FOR SALE / INVESTMENT PERTNERSHIP
We are Suppliers of Gold Dust and Bars, We Supply to quality Gold Dust, Gold bars to the world market.
Our procedures are simple and work close with our buyers to create long term business relationship.
Product: specification
Products ......Gold dust, Gold bars
Trial quantity ......5kg -50
Purity: ......97.5 %
Carats........23. plus
Price........$65,000
We work on FOB and CIF provided our buyers comply with our standing order and procedures since we have our stocks of Gold Dust/Bar with total of five tones. If you are interested contact us for further business discussion.
OUR PAYMENT TERMS IS NEGOTIABLE BETWEEN PARTIES THE BUYER AND THE SELLER.
Commodity - Gold (AU)
1. Quantity - 5000 kg Gold Bar
2. quality - 23 Karats Plus
3. Origin - Sierra Leone / Congo
4. Price - $65,000.00
We also have availability of discussing business investment opportunity for partnership outside Africa, we have funds for any incredibly business that can end us up to 10% annually.
Yours faithfully,
Kojo Harata
Notes: So the e-mail comes from a zohomail email provider (originating google address tanainfo@gmail.com) and the reply to address kojoharata@dfmteknoloji.com is an e-mail account on a domain which although registered some years ago has no website. There is a holding page that suggests a Turkish host. A figure of US$65,000 per Kg is mentioned, presumably when purchasing 5,000 Kg.
The current market price is in the region of US$92,000 per Kg. If something sounds too good to be true ie 30% reduction on market price then beware a scam or fraud. Notice also in the e-mail they misspell the word "Partnership".
IP Lookup shows e-mail originated in China
Let's send a response indicating keen interest. (US$3.25 Million)
Date: 9/02/2025, 14:41
From: [Name and E-Mail address redacted]
To: kojoharata@dfmteknoloji.com
Subject: Re: GOLD FOR SALE / INVESTMENT PERTNERSHIP
Hi Kojo Harata,
I would look to taking 50 Kg.
Regards
[Name redacted]
The delivery ip address indicated Izmit near Istanbul, Turkey but access to e-mails can be made from anywhere in the world.
I did not get a reply within 24 hours, which I was expecting so decided to send a further e-mail to see if they were serious about selling "imaginary gold".
Date: 10/02/2025, 16:45
From: [Name and E-Mail address redacted]
To: kojoharata@dfmteknoloji.com
Subject: Fwd: GOLD FOR SALE / INVESTMENT PERTNERSHIP
Hi Kojo Harata,
As a full 24 hours have elapsed since my earlier e-mail attached and I have not heard from you I am just checking to see if you received my earlier e-mail.
Perhaps I "scared" you with my requirements of 50Kg?
If that is too difficult for you we can start with a smaller amount.
If you are having second thoughts about supplying my requirements, do let me know and I will place my business elsewhere.
If I don't hear from you in the next 48 hours I will assume you are not interested in doing business.
Regards
[Name redacted]
We will see what effect that has.
E-Mail received:
Date: 10/02/2025, 21:17
From: koji Harata kojiharata@writeme.com
To: [Name and E-Mail redacted]
Subject: ***SPAM*** Re: Fwd: GOLD FOR SALE / INVESTMENT PERTNERSHIP
Dear [Name redacted],
First i am sorry for the delay, i was out of the city for a meeting in the rural area, i just came back few hours ago.
Following your request and exparation of the 24 hours, may i ask if you are still interested to do business with us?
Meanwhile, on your request, if you are still interested we can start with the 50kg
Please share your telephone number and address as i do bellow.
Best regrads
Mr. Kojo Harata
Tel/Whatsaap 254780963876
Well if you are "out of the city in a rural area" you might have difficulties replying to your e-mails!
Note typos and spelling mistakes. The e-mail name "Koji" does not match the name in the e-mail "Kojo". He has changed e-mail address again, this time to a writeme.com address (one of the free e-mail addresses available from mail.com). Now he would like to communicate with me via whatsapp (voice or message?) Well that won't be happening, e-mail gives you more time to think.
The telephone/whatsapp number gives a country code 254 which corresponds to Kenya. Whilst this is not Nigeria we are going into the realms of "Nigerian 419 Scammers" which overflows out of the country of Nigeria.
Let's draft a reply, keep them thinking I am interested...
Date: 11/02/2025, 12:44
From: [Name and E-Mail address redacted]
To: koji Harata kojiharata@writeme.com
Subject: Re: ***SPAM*** Re: Fwd: GOLD FOR SALE / INVESTMENT PERTNERSHIP
Hi Kojo,
Apologies for not being appreciative of your other business dealings which might have delayed your response to my first e-mail.
Yes, I am still interested in doing business, I have thought however it might be more prudent since we don't know each other of commencing with the amount of 10Kg.
Thank you for your telephone/whatsapp number. I do not use the telephone or whatsapp for such business I undertake as I consider phones and encrypted message services (whilst ostensibly offering greater security) alert various government "bodies" that you might have something to hide and encourage them to monitor your communications.
I find they ignore plain "vanilla" e-mails these days. So let's just continue our conversations by e-mail.
Regards
[Name redacted]
Note my request to continue communicating by e-mail rather than phone or whatsapp... I am not going to give a scammer my phone number!!
Bit slow on the replies, left them 48 hours since last e-mail, let's get onto them again
Date: 13/02/2025, 12:59
From: [Name and E-Mail address redacted]
To: koji Harata kojiharata@writeme.com
Subject: Fwd: ***SPAM*** Re: Fwd: GOLD FOR SALE / INVESTMENT PERTNERSHIP
Hi Kojo,
Are we doing business together or not?
48 hours elapsed since my last e-mail, attached below and no response from you.
If you don't want to supply me with the 10Kg just let me know and I will look elsewhere.
If I don't hear from you within the next 48 hours with definite proposals for effecting the transaction I will assume you are not interested in doing business.
Regards
[Name redacted]
No further response received from Koji Harata as at the date you are viewing the page...
Final Notes:
Always a bit of a disappointment when a scammer ceases communicating with you. It must be when he sees you as not the "low hanging fruit" he was hoping you to be... he moves onto someone frankly more guilible. If you take a bit of time to think about it none of the scenarios described on these pages are likely to be true. The FBI isn't going to send you loads of money, nor some rich widow who is dying nor someone who wishes you to take delivery of trunks of money.
Gold is just another scam where the only money changing hands will be from yours to their's with nothing in return. If you wish to buy Gold then buy from a reputable dealer in your own country. Such dealers have an earned reputation eg the Royal Mint and don't need to drum up business by unsolicited emails.
Check the link below on Kenyan Gold Scammers.
Other information:
How to Identify and Avoid Gold Investment Scams
Common Traits of Gold Scams in Kenya
Kenyan Gold Scammers arrests - Google search
Investment Opportunity (tanainfo@gmail.com)
Michael Fowler
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Credit: Gold Bars by Michael Steinberg from Pexels
