419 scam: "Mr. Michael Potter"<fax@bluebelldiscovery.com> Atten: Friend, kindly get back to me urgently

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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:
- "i will like you to " (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)
- "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)
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.
- +2332474359010 (Ghana, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Michael Potter" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <potter.micheal_amoah@rediffmail.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2011 04:29:13 -0500
Subject: Atten: Friend, kindly get back to me urgently

Atten: Friend,

My name is Michael Amoah Potter, I have urgent and confidential business preposition about sum of US$16M (Sixteen Million United States Dollars) which I will like you to execute with me and establish trust and good business relationship with me, I know that it will not fail both of us and I will compensate you after the conclusion of the project.

However, it is with trust and sincerity that I approach you for assistance in this transaction. Please do accept my apology if my mail infringes on your personal ethics and honestly it will be my humble pleasure if we can work together in this transaction.

Upon the confirmation of your sincere interest, I will provide you with more details on the nature of this transaction I am talking about and we shall both share the funds at 40% for you while 60% for me, so are you a sincere person and can I trust in you? If I can trust in you kindly get back to me for more details.

Yours Truly,
Mr. Michael A. Potter.
Tel: +233-247-435-901
011233-247-435-901.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam