419 scam: Mikhail Fridman <dr.phil01mcgraw@gmail.com> BUSINESS PROPOSAL

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "trunk box" (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)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: Mikhail Fridman <dr.phil01mcgraw@gmail.com>
Reply-To: MikhailFridmn@proton.me
Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2022 20:17:59 +0000
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL

Dear Friend,

My Name is Mikhail Fridman Russian Oligarch, I have a lucrative business proposal, which I believe we could mutually benefit from. I am making this proposal personal and private, Let me use this opportunity to tell you a little about myself.

I am a businessman from Russia and I have some cordial relationship with Vladimir Putin the Russian President so when the Ukraine Invasion started Putin knows his country will be sanction and he knows that any Russian Businessmen will all be affected so he hints some of his close ones to start withdrawing their money in US Dollars and keep as he knows US dollars can never depreciate like Russia currency. I was able to get some cash in total of (US$10.500,000,00) Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars. I was able to get a Trunk Box and put the funds with some of my valuable and precious items. I deposited this Trunk Box with the help of a Red Cross Diplomat and a Pilot and locked it up with code with the hope that Putin will surrender and all my frozen accounts will be released but instead he has remained adamant to everyone's pleas. I cannot continue like this anymore, that is why I want to be a silent Investor with you.

I will inform my private and confidential Lawyer to draft an agreement between us. This agreement is to protect you and I and can only be taken up if any of us try to play smart on each other, we will also exchange International Passport for good familiarity. As soon as everything is perfected and both of us signed I will give you the private storage info as I would have given you power of Attorney to claim the Trunk Box on my behalf. I will give you more information when I read back from you and also forward all your questions and concerns and I will definitely give you a clear answer. As soon as I read from you I would like you to be dealing with my Lawyer as I do not want any traces from anyone. I await your prompt response. Please for now keep all our conversations confidential until you have received the Trunk Box as you know this is a delicate matter.

Kindly notify me for more details of your self, if interested.

Kind regards,
Mikhail Fridman

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam