419 scam: "Christ W. Micheal"<christwmicheal@yahoo.com> RE: LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE, it's urgent

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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:
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Christ W. Micheal" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <christ.wallace@gazeta.pl>
Date: Sat, 16 Jan 2010 20:54:37 +0100
Subject: RE: LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE, it's urgent

Attn: From Mr. Christ W.

I am Christ W. Micheal, Manager of a bank in Wales. I have an urgent and very confidential business proposition for you.
A deceased (Name now withheld since this is my second letter to you) a Gold and Miner Dealer made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit, valued at 10,600,000.00 G.B.P(Ten Million Six Hundred Thousand British Pounds) in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After some months, I sent a reminder to his forwarding address, and was told that he died from an automobile accident. I therefore made further investigation and discovered that he did not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of 10,600,000.00 G.B.P is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim it.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to the deceased so that the fruits of this old man's labor will not get into the hands of some government officials.The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you.

I request that you kindly forward to me your letter of acceptance; your current telephone and fax numbers and a forwarding address to enable me file necessary documents for the release of this sum of money.

Awaiting your urgent response

Yours Faithfully,
Mr. Christ

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam