419 scam: Ezikiel Micheal <ezikiel009@mmnnk.net> Greetings Dear 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:

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)
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- "transferred into your bank account" (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)
- "transfer into your account" (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)
- "hundred thousand u.s 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))
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +22996711927 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- eziki.miki1@yahoo.co.nz (Yahoo, New Zealand; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: Ezikiel Micheal <ezikiel009@mmnnk.net>
Reply-To: eziki.miki1@yahoo.co.nz
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 2009 01:21:53 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Greetings Dear Friend

Greetings Dear Friend
>From Dr.Ezikiel Micheal
Cotonou Benin Republic.
Email: eziki.miki1@yahoo.co.nz
Dear Friend,

I am Dr.Ezikiel Micheal,The manager foreign remittance department of our bank and i have had the intent to contact you over this financial transaction worth the sum of Ninteen Million Three Hundred Thousand U.S Dollars (US$19.3M) This is an abandoned sum that belongs to our late foreign customer who died in plane crash disaster since four years ago along with his wife and only daughter.

I was opportune to see the deceased deposit file bearing this huge amount of money when i was inspecting the dated and current customers files in other to sign and submit to the entire bank management for an official validation/ re-documentation against the statement approval to the account holders for the year.In a swift investigation carried out by me,i found out that non of the deceased relative is aware of the abandoned fund except his late wife. As a result of that, it is an extremely confidential matter between me and you.

Hence you are a foreigner to our country, you are authorized by our Benin law to apply and claim the fund into your account as the business partner to the deceased.For assisting me to get the fund transferred into your bank account, the ratio of 40% of the total sum is for your share whereas 60% is for me as business pioneer.

Please i need your urgent response on assurance of trust that you will not deny my right of the share once the fund gets into your account because i am a poor civil servant who depend on little monthly salary. That you are the one who will help me to get visa to your country immediately i resign from my work on the instant of the transfer into your account. If you are really sure of your integrity, trustworthy, and confidentiality, reply urgently and to prove that.
I know you will not feel comfortable to release your contact as you don't
know me in person but you don't have to fear for anything. Reply with you private telephone number so that i will call you to explain better to you.

In sincerity,
Dr.Ezikiel Micheal.
Please call me with this phone number (+229 96 71 19 27)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam