419 scam: "Mike McMullen"<mikemcmullen@wed.com> RE: I BELIEVE THIS WILL BE OF INTEREST TO YOU

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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
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.
- sirmikemcmullen@aol.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mike McMullen" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sirmikemcmullen@aol.com>
Date: Sun, 11 Apr 2010 17:12:02 +0200
Subject: RE: I BELIEVE THIS WILL BE OF INTEREST TO YOU

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am Mr.Mike McMullen I need your services in a confidential matter regarding money transfer.This requires a private arrangement though the details of the transaction will be furnish to you if you indicate your interest in this
proposal.

We have all the legal documents to back up the transaction, besides we have worked out the modalities to ensure smooth and risky free transfer.We are willing to offer you 40% of the money, the fund in question is quite

large. All correspondences will be via email and telephone for now.I am expecting to hear from you, if you are willing to do the business with us,your private phone number is needed.

Please let me hear from you immediately only in my private email box: sirmikemcmullen@aol.com

Waiting to hear from you.

Thanks,
Yours Faithfully,

Mr.Mike McMullen

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam