419 scam: "Federal Ministry Of Finance"<info@fmf.org> DID YOU AUTHORIZED MR. MICHAEL WILLIAMS TO CLAIM YOUR FUND???

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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:
- "to your nominated bank account" (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)
- "million us 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)
- "hundred thousand us 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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "federalministry.of.finance@live.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +2347044091994 (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.
- payunitgov1ngorg@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Federal Ministry Of Finance" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <payunitgov1ngorg@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2012 10:36:19 +0100
Subject: DID YOU AUTHORIZED MR. MICHAEL WILLIAMS TO CLAIM YOUR FUND???

Attention:

REF: MAV/NNPC/FGN/MGN/2012

This is to bring to your notice about the due process of your outstanding contractual payment which was suspended by the Federal ministry of Finance thereby stopping the telex unit to pause the transfer of your contract fund to your nominated Bank Account. As a result of this development, verification conducted by the newly appointed Finance Minister in conjunction with the Newly Appointed Member of Presidential Board of Trustee on Debt Verification Panel to contact you and let you Know that your contract case file has been endorsed for payment awaiting your confirmations.

In view of several efforts already made by us to contact you proved abortive. Based on the new Address submitted to this office on your behalf:

(1) My Office desks have just received a new contact address from Mr. Michael Williams, to release your Payment into a new address and Bank Information as stated Bellow:

100 Wellington Street West, Suite 1200, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5K 1J3

The Sum of $8.3 Million US Dollars (Eight Million Three Hundred Thousand US Dollars) should be paid to Mr. Michael Williams, as your beneficiary/Partner.

(2) Please, confirm to our Bank/Office if you have instructed Mr. Michael Williams, to appoint an attorney/agent on your behalf thereby asking that he receive cash call Remittance on your behalf as your Partner.

(3) Please, also confirm if you have authorized Mr. Michael Williams, to change your Residential Address and Get your Fund release to him on your behalf as your Beneficiary.

We have decided to contact you for re-verification and Confirmation because we suspected that Mr. Michael Williams is trying to divert your money through the sworn affidavit to a new different address and Account Information as your Partner. Therefore, if you had not authorized Mr. Michael Williams, to claim this Contractual Payment and Your Inheritance Fund on your behalf as your Partner, Kindly get back to the Central Bank Of Nigeria with the down listed information requested for re confirmation/verification and for fast and swift release of the Fund to you without any Further Delay.

You are now required to reconfirm to the (CBN) the followings:

(1) Your Full Name:
(2) Residential Address:
(3) Phone, Fax and Mobile #:
(4) Profession, Age and Marital Status:
(5) Company/Business Name:
(6) International Passport/ID:

You are advice to get back to the Central Bank Of Nigeria on this E-mail Address :-(payunitgov1ngorg@gmail.com) with the Information requested from you and re-confirmation whether you instruct any One to get Your Fund release on your Behalf. As soon as this information is received by the Central Bank Of Nigeria, you shall be instructed on how to get your Fund released directly to you from our Nominated commercial Bank which has being endorsed by the World Bank and IMF Organization to make sure that your Fund is been released to you.

Best Regards.
Rev. Matthew Morgan,
For Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF)
Tel: +234-704-409-1994
Email: federalministry.of.finance@live.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam