419 scam: "Dr Malcolm Miller"<malcolm.miller@yahoo.com> Good day

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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)
- "million united states 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)
- "hundred thousand us 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "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)
- "walterstevensrep@sbcglobal.net" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr Malcolm Miller" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <walterstevensrep@sbcglobal.net>
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2010 07:15:06 -0400
Subject: Good day

Dear Friend,

I am happy to inform you about my success in getting your winning funds under the co-operation of a new partner from South Africa. Presently I'm in South Africa for investment projects with my own share of the total sum. Meanwhile,i did not forget your past efforts and attempts to get your winnings despite that failed somehow.

I have made a deposit of $500.000.00 (FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS) in addition to your lottery winnings of $5.5m now amounting to $6,000,000.00 (Six million United States Dollars) with SAFETY TRUST DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION & FINANCE.

Now,i will want you to contact Walter Stevens (Esq) with the below contact information.

SAFETY TRUST DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION & FINANCE UNITED KINGDOM
NAME: Walter Stevens (Esq)
E-MAIL: walterstevensrep@sbcglobal.net

Ask him to send you the total sum of $6,000,000.00 (SIX MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) certified international bank draft, which I raised in favour of you for your compensation for all the past efforts and attempt in this matter.I really appreciate your efforts at that time.

Secondly, you are hereby advised to stop dealing with some non-officials that has been contacting you via email because this is an illegal act for you to respond to them.You have to stop if you so wish to receive your payment immediately. After the board meeting held at our headquarters, we have resolved in finding a solution to your last unclaimed problem. So feel free and get in touch with Mr Walter Stevens (Esq) and give him your complete delivery details on where to send the draft to you.

Please do let me know immediately you receive the draft to enable us share the joy after all the stress at that time. At the moment,i am very busy here because of the investment projects, which i and the new partner are having at hand.Finally, i want you to know that i have forwarded instruction to Mr Walter Stevens (Esq) to attend to you as soon as you are in contact with him without any further delay.

Best regards,
Dr.Malcolm Miller

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam