419 scam: "Mr. Michael Thompson"<mickythom@sify.com> I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO REACH YOU, PLS GET BACK TO ME ASAP.

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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:
- "million 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)
- "foreign remittance department" (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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Michael Thompson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mchlthompsonctz8@aim.com>
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 15:48:45 -0700
Subject: I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO REACH YOU, PLS GET BACK TO ME ASAP.

Dear respectable one,

My name is Mr. Michael Thompson I work with the Citizens Bank of NG Plc. branch manager, bill and exchange of the foreign remittance department. Please I need you to get back to me concerning your late cousins fund worth $34 million dollars. Get back to me with your full name, home address and phone number.

Your late cousin with his wife, and their three children were involved in the Benin plane crash, and the whole family died in this fatal air crash on 26th December 2003 Since then I have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended Relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. Here is the air crash website on bbc:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3348109.stm

All I need you to do is to stand as the next of kin to our Late customer so that this fund can be transferred to you. I am writing you so that we can work together to remit this amount of money into your account as the next of kin hence depositor happened to be a foreigner. All documents and proves to enable you get this fund will be carefully worked out from my table and I will perfect every documents to be in accordance with the banking laws and guideline hence you have nothing to worry about for I am assuring you a 100%risk free transaction.

Yours Sincerely,
Mr Michael Thompson,
Citizens Bank.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam