419 scam: "Mr. Michael Steve"<mikesteve@telefonica.net> DEAR UNPAID BENEFICIARY, URGENT REPLY NEEDED

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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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)
- ",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)
- "mikesteve1990@skymail.mn" (this email address has been used in a known 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.
- +2347081826508 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Michael Steve" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mikesteve1990@skymail.mn>
Date: Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:21:24 -0700
Subject: DEAR UNPAID BENEFICIARY, URGENT REPLY NEEDED

Dear Sir/Madam,

This is a final payment notification to formally inform you that after the newly reveiwed 2011 United Nations taxation and burgetry policy on estate inheritance and contract payments by governemnts of nations all over the world, you have been short listed for the payment of the sum of five million United states Dollars( $5,000,000.00).

The United Nations head directors and board or trustee's have now relocated the funds to Guarantee Trust Bank ( GTB), where an account will be created for you and the funds will be deposited.

As soon as the online account is set up and the fund are deposited there in, you will be granted access to transfer your funds to whatsoever nominated account that you may so desire all over the world without any difficulties at all.

You are therefore required to provide the details requested below along with a scanned copy of your ID for proper verification and confirmation before payment.

Please provide us with the details below;

(1) Your Valid Direct Tel/ Mobile/Fax Number.
(2) Your Full Name:
(3) Current Resident Address.
(4) Your Private E-mail Address.
(5) Your Occupation:
(6) Your Age and Sex:
(7) Your Nationality:
(8) Driving license or your passport copy or your working id card:
(9) Your Next of Kin

Please note that you are only to respond to this message with proper and legit details as informations will be properly verified and your IP will be checked.

Failure to respond to this message in 72hours after receipts will automatically disqualify your application for payment.

NOTE : YOU ARE TO SEND YOUR RESPONSE TO THE E-MAIL ADDRESS BELOW,

Contact Email:mikesteve1990@skymail.mn

Thank you for your co-operation.

BEST REGARDS,

Mr Michael Steve.
Contact Email:
+(234)-708-182-6508

CC: UNITED NATIONS PRESIDENT
CC: SENATE PRESIDENT
CC: ALL FOREIGN PAYMENT OFFICES
CC: BOARD OF DIRECTORS [CBN]
CC: ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam