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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:

Fraud email example:

From: MR MICHAEL ANDERSON <michaelfreeman1034@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ma02402420002@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2023 03:12:16 -0700
Subject: Greetings,

--
Greetings,

My name is Mr. Michael Anderson, I am a Branch Manager of a Bank here
in Nigeria, West Africa, I got your information during my research on
the Internet. It may interest you to hear that I am a man of PEACE and
don't want problems, I only hope we can assist each other. If you
don't want this business offer kindly forget it, as I will not contact
you again.

It may surprise you to receive this letter from me, since there has
been no previous correspondence between us. I will also like to make
it clear here that l know that the internet has been grossly abused by
criminal minded people making it difficult for people with genuine
intention to correspond and exchange views without skepticism.

I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us.
As a Branch Manager of the Bank, it is my duty to send in a Financial
Report to my head office in Lagos at the end of each year.

In the course of the last year 2022 end of the year report, I
discovered that my branch where I am the Manager made an excess profit
of [US$10,500,000.00] which my head office is not aware of and will
never be aware of. I have since placed this fund in an ESCROW ACCOUNT.

As a staff of the bank I cannot be directly linked to this money, so
this made me to contact you for us to work together so that you can
assist me and receive this fund into your bank account for us to
SHARE.

I am offering you 40% of the total fund, while you keep 60% for me in
your bank account till I join you for the sharing/investment of my own
share of the funds or we can go into a joint partnership venture, I
will appreciate it very much.

As soon as I receive your response through this Address(
ma02402420002@gmail.com ) I will give you more details on how we can
achieve it successfully.

This is 100% risk free and 100% legal and your earliest response to
this matter would be highly appreciated,

Yours Sincerely,
Mr. Michael Anderson.

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