419 scam: "Micheal Pyle" <michealpyle95@yahoo.com> U S Department of the Treasury

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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:
- "huge sum of money" (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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Micheal Pyle" <michealpyle95@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: <micheapyleustreasurydepartment@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 03:21:00 -0700
Subject: U S Department of the Treasury

U S Department of the Treasury
Department of Financial Stability
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20220
Telephone: 206 201 2631

Attention:Beneficiary

Due to high rate of internet fraud and scam accross the world and which most citizens of our country are victims of, the government of United States of America(U S A) has decided to intervene and investigate every financial transaction between her citizens and foreign individuals or organisations. After careful survey, we discovered that over 1 million Americans are sending huge sum of money to Nigeria, London, Asia and other parts of the world with the hope of getting certain funds in returns. The Central Bank and some banks in Nigeria, London, China and so on are listed.

For this reason, the US Treasury Department has offered to help you facilitate the transfer of your fund to your account and possibly, we will endeavour to see that your fund is wire to your account successfully if you coporate with us.

You are therefore required to funish us with the following information.
1: Your full name
2: Contact Address/Direct phone number
3: Name of Bank you are expecting to transfer your fund
4: Identification
As soon as we receive this detail, we shall give you update on what to do to get your fund
transferred to your account within 72 hours.
Email us back as soon as possible with the needed information.

Regards,
Micheal Pyle
U S Treasury Department

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam