419 scam: "Richard Mills Jr." <mrsmarybethleonard2@gmail.com> DATE 22TH FEBRUARY 2024 REPLY

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2347038265856 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- richardmilljr009@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Richard Mills Jr." <mrsmarybethleonard2@gmail.com>
Reply-To: richardmilljr009@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2024 01:58:06 -0800
Subject: DATE 22TH FEBRUARY 2024 REPLY

I AM MR. RICHARD MILLS JR, THE NEW UNITED STATE AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA,
JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW ME, I RESUMED MY OFFICE AS A NEW U.S AMBASSADOR
TO NIGERIA THIS YEAR JANUARY 3RD 2024 AFTER HANDLING OVER FROM MRS MARY
BETH LEONARD FORMER U.S AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA ,HER TENURE EXPIRED ON 16TH
DECEMBER 2023.

THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY HAS RESOLVED ON A DIPLOMATIC MISSION TO NIGERIA
ON-BEHALF OF 100 SCAM VICTIMS TO BE COMPENSATED AFTER POLICE ARRESTED SOME
FRAUDSTERS IN NIGERIA WHO MENTIONED YOUR PARTICULARS AS ONE OF THE
VICTIMS OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

NOTE THAT AFTER MY MEETING WITH MR BOLA TINUBU NEW PRESIDENT FEDERAL
REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AND OTHER HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE MEMBERS, WORLD BANK,
UNITED NATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF), THEY AGREED TO PAY
YOU $5,000,000.00 (FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS )AS YOUR
COMPENSATION.

CONGRATULATIONS FOR YOUR NAME WERE AMONG THE LIST TO BE PAID $5M US DOLLARS
COMPENSATION PAYMENT. SO RE-CONFIRM BELOW INFORMATION SO THAT THERE WILL
NOT BE ANY MISTAKE:

1) YOUR FULL NAME: ---------------
2) YOUR CURRENT HOUSE ADDRESS: -------------
3) CURRENT DIRECT TELEPHONE: -------------
4) OCCUPATION & AGE: -------------

AS SOON AS I RECEIVE THE INFORMATION, I WILL TELL YOU WHAT TO DO TO RECEIVE
YOUR PAYMENT WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY.GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE
I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO SPEND HERE IN NIGERIA.CALL YOU ME ON MY DIRECT
MOBILE PHONE:+234-7038-2658-56 PLEASE SEND ME EMAIL THROUGH MY PERSONAL
EMAIL ADDRESS: (richardmilljr009@gmail.com )

CONGRATULATIONS.

MY BEST REGARDS.
MR. RICHARD MILLS JR,
UNITED STATE AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam