419 scam: "Mr. Ahmed Mohammed" <ahmedmohammed207@yahoo.com> TREAT AS URGENT/CONFIDENTIAL.

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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 "dying merchant" scam.
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.
- ahmedmohammed207@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Ahmed Mohammed" <ahmedmohammed207@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: ahmedmohammed207@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:19:54 +0200 (SAST)
Subject: TREAT AS URGENT/CONFIDENTIAL.

Dear Friend,

My name is Ahmed Mohammed, I have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer,
it has defiled all forms of medical treatments and according to medical
experts, and I only have about a few months to live.
I have decided to make a donation to charitable organizations, as I want
this to be one of the last good deeds I have done on earth so far,

Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I can not do this myself
anymore.
I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and
distribute the money to some charitable organization which they refused
and kept the money to them, Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they
seem not to be satisfied with what I left for them.

The last of my money which no one knows about is a cash deposit of FOUR
MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$4,000,000.00) that I have in the vault
of a finance company. I will want you to collect this fund on my behalf
and dispatch it to charitable organizations of your choice. Upon your
response, I will direct you on how to grab the beneficiary of the fund.

I await your quick response. For your time and honesty, I am willing to
offer you 20% of the total fund, please get back to me if you are
interested and honest to carry out this project on my behalf. Contact me
with my privet email below.

May Allah be with you.

Mr.Ahmed Mohammed.
Email: ahmedmohammed207@hotmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam