419 scam: "LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR"<test@pro-msfo.com> IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION...

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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 state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "economic and financial crime commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- lagos_state_governor@mail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lagos_state_governor@mail.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2012 00:16:30 +0800
Subject: IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION...

ATTENTION:BELOVED FRIEND,

THIS IS THE NIGERIA LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR MR.BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA, HOW ARE YOU TODAY AND YOUR FAMILY IF FINE THANKS BE TO GOD ALMIGHTY.I AM CONTACTING YOU TO INFORM YOU THAT AM SORRY OF WHAT YOU HAVE PASS THROUGH IN NIGERIA CON ARTIST. PLEASE AM VERY SORRY FOR THAT, PLEASE ACCEPT MY SYMPATHY AND EMPATHY I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I CONTACTED YOU JUST FOR ONE REASON,TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU WILL BE COMPENSATED FOR THE MONEY THAT YOU HAVE LOST TO NIGERIA SCAMMERS.

I PROMISE AND I ASSURE YOU THAT YOU WILL RECOVER IT BACK,I AND THE PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA WILL COMPENSATE YOU WITH THE AMOUNT OF $5.2 MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS DON'T BE SCARED YOU ARE 100% SAFE HAND, AND BE REST ASSURED THAT YOUR PROBLEM IS OVER ALL I AND THE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA WANT FROM YOU IS YOUR CO-OPERATION AND MAKE SURE YOU STOP THE CONVERSATION YOU ARE DOING NOW AND RESPOND BACK TO ME WITH THIS PERSONAL DETAILS.

THE INFORMATION I NEED FROM YOU ARE LISTED BELOW.

1, YOUR FULL NAME'S
2, YOUR ADDRESS:
3, YOUR HOME PHONE NUMBER & CELL NUMBER:
4, YOUR AGE:
5, YOUR OCCUPATION:
7, YOUR INTERNATIONAL/DRIVER'S LICENSE OR ID:
8) HOW MUCH HAVE YOU LOST:

BUT PLEASE I WANT YOU NOT TO GO INTO NIGERIA INTERNET BUSINESS TRANSACTION AGAIN AFTER YOU HAVE RECEIVED YOUR COMPENSATION FUNDS BECAUSE IT IS AN ILLEGAL ACT,ANYBODY THAT CONTACTS YOU TO INFORM YOU OF A TRANSACTION PLEASE EMAIL ME TO LET ME KNOW SO THAT I CAN SEND THE ECONOMIC CRIME COMMISSION, AND NOTE YOU WILL NOT REGRET TRUSTING IN ME.I AND THE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA IS FIGHTING AGAINST IT WITH FEDERAL BUREAU INVESTIGATION SERVICE (FBI) IN YOUR COUNTRY AND THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION(EFCC).

BEST REGARDS,
MR.BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR.

Direct Email: lagos_state_governor@mail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam