419 scam: mike amazulu <mike_amazulu1@rediffmail.com> offer

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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "first national bank" (not involved with lotteries)
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "will come to you as a surprise" (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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- +27783531429 (South Africa, 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.
- mikeamazuluu@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: mike amazulu <mike_amazulu1@rediffmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mikeamazuluu@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2012 04:50:38 -0400
Subject: offer

MR: MIKE AMAZULU
TEL: +27783531429
E MAIL mikeamazuluu@yahoo.com

Dear Sir,
In order to transfer out (US$5 Million) five Million United States
Dollars from
First National Bank (FNB). I have picked up the trust and courage to
write you this letter with divine confidence that you are a reliable and
honest Person who will be capable for this important business
transaction believing also that you will never let me down either now or
in the future.
My name is Mr. MIKE AMAZULU a senior Auditing Officer with the FNB in
South Africa There is an account opened in this bank in 2000 and since
2002 nobody has operated on this account again. After going through some
old files in the records, I discovered that if I do not remit this money
out urgently it would be forfeited to the government. The owner of this
account died since 2002. No other person knows about this account or any
thing concerning it, the account has no other beneficiary and my
investigation proved to me as well that this company does not know
anything about this account and the amount involved is (US$5 Million)
five million United States Dollars. I want to transfer this sum of five
million United States Dollars into a safe foreign account abroad.
I am contacting you based on the fact that you are a foreigner because
this money can only be approved for payment to a foreigner, more so it
can not be approved by any local bank here, as this money is in US
Dollars hence the former owner of this account is a Foreigner too. I
know that this proposal will come to you as a surprise as we don't know
ourselves before. However I got your contact from a trade consultant
here in South Africa though I did not disclose the purpose of my seeking
for a foreign business partner to him. I have involved a very senior
official in the Operational department and we have agreed that after the
transfer of the money into your account, you shall be entitled to 30% of
the total sum. We the officials will take 60% while 10% is for expenses.
All necessary precautions have been taken to ensure 100% risk free
situation on the side of both parties. Please note that this deal can
only take place on the
following conditions: -

. Absolute confidentiality and sincerity will be required and
guaranteed, considering our (me and my partners) positions in the bank.
All things being equal, this transaction will be within 10 working days
as soon as we hear from you. Please treat with utmost confidentiality.
Contact me as quickly as possible through my above telephone number
+27783531429
or e above e mail address
Regards,
MR. MIKE AMAZULU
+27783531429

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