419 scam: Machine Sale Department <machine@metrocat.com> Attention

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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:
- "million 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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: Machine Sale Department <machine@metrocat.com>
Reply-To: lclbef@europemail.com
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2018 02:59:52 +0700 (ICT)
Subject: Attention - Re'f/ LCL Bank France!!!

Greetings to you from LCL Bank Levallois-Perret, France. I'm AndrÃ© Benjamin, i hope that you will try to understand my translated English.
We have $10.5 million US dollars funds belonging to you according to records that originate from Nigeria West Africa that was being diverted through this Bank, but we managed to discover.
Some undisclosed Nigerian government officials tried to divert your funds $10.5 million through this Bank and after our investigations and proper checks, we confirmed that this funds was originally approved to you through the Presidency office in Nigeria.

Please be informed that it is against France law to have this abrupt and un-cleared funds with us for more than 48hrs without the Paper from the Presidency office in Nigeria. Therefore, please kindly answer these three questions.

(1.) Would you need us to get this Paper from the Presidency office in Nigeria for you?
(2.) You want to get paid directly by LCL Bank Levallois France?
(3.) Or you would prefer we returned the money to Nigeria and you can take it up from there?

Please understand that if you chose for us to return this funds to Nigeria, we shall do so without further notice to you. On the other hand, if you chose for us to send your total funds across to you, then you must immediately send $425 US dollars to the office in Nigeria for the Presidency Paper and we shall be needing some verifiable documentation from you such as any government issued ID. Please be kind enough to respond urgently to this email with your acknowledgement.

------

CHEF DES OPÃ‰RATIONS.

ANDRE BENJAMIN

LCL
lclbef@europemail.com
TÃ©lÃ© +33 6 44 63 28 23

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam