419 scam: "U.s Treasury Department"<kbussell@uiowa.edu> PLEASE DO ACT ACCORDINGLY

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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:
- "to your nominated bank account" (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 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)
- "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)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <treasuryofficeusa54@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2018 07:33:11 -0700
Subject: PLEASE DO ACT ACCORDINGLY

Dear Beneficiary,

I am Steven Terner Mnuchin, the Secretary of the Treasury. You can get more details about me here and my identity card attached.

https://www.treasury.gov/about/Pages/Secretary.aspx

I have been saddled with the responsibility of liaising with beneficiaries regarding all previously unpaid/unclaimed funds and be sure all such funds are paid before the end of the fiscal year 2018.

A directive has been issued to us to settle all outstanding payments accrued to individuals with respect to local and overseas contract payment, debt re-scheduling and outstanding compensation payment. We have been notified that you are yet to receive your fund. Fortunately, you have been selected alongside a few other beneficiaries to receive your own payment of $1500,000.00 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars only). This money will hence be transferred to your nominated bank account.

But to our surprise one Mrs. Brenda Miller came forward for the fund, that, you asked her to claim the fund on your behalf with documentary evidence which we are not sure of it source.This was why we decided to contact you to confirm to us if you really sent Mrs Brenda Miller. She said, you instruct her that the fund should be transfer to the below account detail. I will advise that you change your email password,because your email is be use to write to us,but because of the name on the account, we have to confirm.

Bank Name:Midwest Regional Credit Union
Bank Address:P>O.Box12217 Kansas City,Ks. 66112
Account number:29044
Routing: 301078773
Beneficiary name: Brenda Miller

Most importantly, confirm to us urgently if you gave permission to Mrs Brenda Miller to claim the fund on your behalf and if case you did not authorize anybody, then, You will have to stop communicating with the impersonators and the organizations, because they are trying to divert

your fund to themselves. She tries, so hard to change the fund ownership to her name. We await your prompt response,

Yours faithfully,

Steven Terner Mnuchin
Secretary of the Treasury
Phone: +1 (631) 239-3744
(U.S. Department of the Treasury)

Note: If you received this message in your SPAM/JUNK folder, it is
because of the restrictions implemented by your Internet Service
Provider, we urge you to treat it genuinely. The information contained
in this e-mail is private & confidential and may also be legally
privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify us,
preferably by e-mail.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam