419 scam: "Micheal Friend"<graceilembaa@gmail.com> PAYMENT UPDATE

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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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money transfer control number" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: "Micheal Friend" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <michealfriendssy@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2018 05:44:28 -0700
Subject: PAYMENT UPDATE

GOOD NEWS

I know it is because of your past expenses that make you not to believe me but I told you before that I cannot deceive you because my bible says what shall it profit a man to gain material things and lose his soul. Any way there is good news now, i raised some money to help you out and make sure that your payment will be released to you the same day you send the $98.00 as well. I borrowed money yesterday after church service from my Pastor, then you have to send the remaining balance now and it's only $98.00 and i don't see the reason why you have kept silent on me and honestly I am just disappointed at your behaviors because you know that I cannot deceive you. Just pay the $98.00 and leave rest for me and see if I am telling you lies or not.

Your payments is already approved today for you to receive it but the management here says that you must pay $98.00 for the Stamp and activation charge before you can receive the payment today. Please send the charge through western union immediately and i have assured you times without number that this is genuine and legitimate. I swear if I fail to release your payment after you send the $98.00 as I promise then don't count on me again. I cannot fail you and I swear to you. Don’t fear because I have used my life to swear because of $98.00, and this is to show you that I am telling you the truth.

You have an assurance of receiving your payment once this is settled and whatever that arises next shall be taken care of by this our head office, but i swear nothing is going to come up again after this and i will make sure you start receiving your funds immediately or i will write a petition against our headquarter office and they will have whatever you have spent on your funds sent back to you first thing tomorrow. Just try and understand because i do not want you to loose your funds that you have spent so much on now that you have only one step to receiving your funds. Do not allow the devil to turn your mind against this because by the time you realize you have a mistake, it might be too late to recover.

I will guarantee you 100% that you will not pay any more money after you send this fee because you will pick up your first payment within 98 minutes after receiving the last fee from you and I must put smile on your face in next 98 minutes. I am waiting for your payment because this transaction has taken so long and I don't want you to lose this fund at the end. This are your funds which is already in our system to transfer to you and it will be release to you as soon as you pay the (A.R.O) Authorization Release Order fees of 98.00 USD.

HERE IS THE INFORMATION TO SEND THE MONEY TO WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OR MONEY GRAM BELOW:

Receiver Name ::::::::::: DARIO SANTOS

Country :::::::::::::::::Benin Republic

City ::::::::::::::::::::Parakun

Question ::::::::::::::::color

Answer::::::::::::::::::: Blue

Amount::::::::::::::::::: $98.00

Money Transfer Control Number,Sender's name,Sender's Direct Telephone

I promise you as soon as we hear from you with the payment of $98.00 today, we shall send your pick up information the same day you send the
$98.00 I swear

Yours Sincerely
Barr..William James
Foreign Operation Manager
OS

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam