419 scam: "ATTENTION "USMAN MIKE""<geoff@webshooter.com> FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION

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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:
- "million 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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "ATTENTION "USMAN MIKE"" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrusmanmike@careceo.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 02:25:24 -0700
Subject: FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION

FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION :

I KNOW THIS MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS A BIG SURPRISE BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT MET BEFORE, BUT PLEASE DO NOT MISTAKE THIS MAIL AS A JUNK MAIL. I FEEL MOVED TO CONTACT YOU TO EXPLAIN SITUATION ON THE GROUND TO YOU,HOPING THAT THIS LETTER WILL FIND YOU IN GOOD HEALTH.LET ME TELL YOU MORE ABOUT MY SELF. I AM MR.USMAN MIKE FROM HEAD OF SECURITY COMPANY AND A CURRENT MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE SECURITY COMPANY. COULD YOU PLEASE CONSIDER TO HELP ME TO RELOCATE THIS SUM OF TEN MILLION,FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS(US$10.5m) TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR ESTABLISHING A MEDIUM SIZE INDUSTRY IN YOUR COUNTRY.

THE SAID 10.5 MILLION DOLLARS WAS DEPOSITED IN OUR SECURITY COMPANY BY MR.ANDREAS SCHRANNER, A GERMAN CITIZEN WHO DIED IN A PLANE CRASH IN 2000 BEFORE HIS DEATH OCCURRED. THIS COMPANY HAVE TRIED OVER 13 YEARS NOW TO CONTACT HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY TO COME FORWARD FOR CLAIMS BUT COULD NOT SUCCEED.WE DISCOVERED THAT THE LATE GERMAN DIED ALONG SIDE WITH HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN WHO SUPPOSED TO BE HIS NEXT OF KIN.

CLICK HERE(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm) I WILL GIVE YOU ALL VITAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE GERMAN AND THE 10.5 MILLION DOLLARS IN OUR CUSTODY SO THAT YOU WILL CONTACT OUR COMPANY AS THE NEXT OF KIN FOR THEM TO RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU.YOU CAN COME HERE IN PERSON OR YOU CAN REQUEST THE COMPANY TO SHIP THE FUNDS TO YOU IN YOUR COUNTRY DIPLOMATICALLY.

I AM A THE NEW MANAGER IN THIS COMPANY,I WILL PLAY A ROLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE 10.5 MILLION DOLLARS IS RELEASED TO YOU AS HIS RELATIVE.

AS SOON AS I RECEIVE YOUR REPLY,I WILL GIVE YOU A DRAFT APPLICATION WHICH YOU WILL FORWARD TO OUR COMPANY.
REPLY AND LET ME KNOW YOUR FULL NAME, AGE, ADDRESS , OCCUPATION ,YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS IF AVAILABLE. PLEASE GET BACK TO ME THROUGH THIS E-MAIL (mrusmanmike@careceo.com)

I AWAIT YOUR URGENT REPLY.

THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU

REGARDS
MR.USMAN MIKE.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam