419 scam: "MICHEAL JOHN"<alexcol01@hotmail.com> URGENT REPLY (JOB OFFER)

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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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "money orders " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- "cheques " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
This email message is a company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
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.
- m.john_001@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MICHEAL JOHN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <m.john_001@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 22:53:11 +0100
Subject: URGENT REPLY (JOB OFFER)

GLOBAL IMPORT/EXPORT COMPANY
INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
16 COMMERCIAL WAY ABBEY ROAD
LONDON NW10 7XF ENGLAND, UK
EMAIL; m.john_001@yahoo.com

DEARSIR/MADAM,

WE ARE GLAD TO OFFER YOU A JOB POSITION AT OUR COMPANY, GLOBAL IMPORT/EXPORT COMPANY INTERNATIONAL LIMITED UK. WE WILL LIKE YOU TO WORK FOR THE COMPANY AS A REPRESENTATIVE/BOOK KEEPER.THIS IS IN VIEW OF OUR NOT HAVING AN OFFICE PRESENTLY IN THE US, CANADA AND EUROPE. THIS CERTAINLY WON'T DISTURB ANY FORM OF WORK YOU ARE DOING AT THE MOMENT. WE EXPORT RAW
MATERIALS SUCH AS NON-METALLIC MINERALS SUCH AS CALCITE, MANGANESE DIOXIDE, DOLOMITE,MICA,ENGLAND CLAY, MANGANESE DIOXIDE, AND FERROUS (IRON) OXIDE.

THERE IS NO FINANCIAL OBLIGATION REQUIRED FROM YOU AND THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE. THIS JOB TAKES ONLY 1-3 HOURS PER DAY ABOUT THE JOB. YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S NOT EASY TO START A BUSINESS IN A NEW MARKET (BEING THE US AND EUROPE). THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPETITORS, CLOSE DIRECT CONTACTS BETWEEN SUPPLIERS AND CUSTOMERS AND OTHER DIFFICULTIES, WHICH IMPEDE OUR SALES PROMOTION.SECONDLY WE CANNOT CASH THESE PAYMENTS FROM THE US AND EUROPE SOON ENOUGH AS INTERNATIONAL CHEQUES TAKE ABOUT 14 WORKING DAYS FOR CASH TO BE MADE AVAILABLE. WE LOSE ABOUT 75,000 USD AND 80,000 EUROS OF NET INCOME EACH MONTH BECAUSE WE HAVE MONEY TRANSFER DELAYS.

YOUR TASKS ARE TO CO-ORDINATE PAYMENTS FROM CUSTOMERS AND HELP US WITH THE PAYMENT PROCEEDS.YOU ARE NOT INVOLVED IN ANY SALES. OUR SALES MANAGER SELLS PRODUCTS.ONCE THE PRODUCT ARE BEEN DELIVERED TO OUR CUSTOMER (USUALLY THROUGH FEDEX).THE CUSTOMER RECEIVES AND CHECKS THE PRODUCTS. AFTER THIS HAS BEEN DONE THE CUSTOMER HAS TO PAY FOR THE PRODUCTS. ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF OUR CUSTOMERS PREFER TO PAY THROUGH CERTIFIED CHEQUES AND MONEY ORDERS BASED ON THE AMOUNT INVOLVED. WE HAVE DECIDED TO OPEN THIS NEW JOB POSITION FOR SOLVING THIS PROBLEM.

YOUR TASKS ARE;
1. RECEIVE PAYMENT FROM CUSTOMERS
2. CASH PAYMENTS AT YOUR BANK
3. DEDUCT 15% WHICH WILL BE YOUR PERCENTAGE/PAY ON PAYMENT PROCESSED
4. FORWARD BALANCE AFTER DEDUCTION OF PERCENTAGE/PAY TO ANY OF THE OFFICES YOU WILL BE CONTACTED TO SEND PAYMENT TO. (PAYMENT IS TO FORWARD EITHER BY MONEY GRAM, WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OR INTO AN ACCOUNT. A LOCAL MONEY TRANSFER TAKES BARELY HOURS, SO IT WILL GIVE US A POSSIBILITY TO GET CUSTOMER'S PAYMENT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. OUR PAYMENTS WILL BE ISSUED OUT IN YOUR NAME.

WE UNDERSTAND IT IS AN UNUSUAL AND INCREDIBLE JOB POSITION. THIS JOB TAKES ONLY 3-7 HOURS PER WEEK. YOU'LL HAVE A LOT OF FREE TIME DOING ANOTHER JOB; YOU'LL GET GOOD INCOME AND REGULAR JOB. BUT THIS JOB IS VERY CHALLENGING AND YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND IT. WE ARE LOOKING ONLY FOR THE WORKER WHO SATISFIES OUR REQUIREMENTS AND WILL BE AN EARNEST ASSISTANT. WE ARE GLAD TO OFFER THIS JOB POSITION TO YOU. IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE A SERIOUS AND EARNEST WORKER AND IF YOU WANT TO WORK FOR GLOBAL IMPORT/EXPORT COMPANY,GET US IMMEDIATELY WITH YOUR :
FULL NAME:
HOME ADRESS:
MOBILE NUMBER:
AGE:

YOURS TRULY,
MICHEAL JOHN
MANAGING DIRECTOR.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam