419 scam: "MICRO FINANCE INVESTMENT LIMITED" <info@microfinance2.com> Dear Sir/Madam

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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- ",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)
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.
- +448719156870 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
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.
- investmentlimitedmicrofinance@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MICRO FINANCE INVESTMENT LIMITED" <info@microfinance2.com>
Reply-To: investmentlimitedmicrofinance@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2013 15:57:06 -0000
Subject: Dear Sir/Madam

--

MICRO FINANCE INVESTMENT LIMITED

City of London, Guildhall, PO Box 200,
London EC2P 2EJ.
Tel/fax: +44-871-9156870, +44-871-9156881,
Emails: investmentlimitedmicrofinance@gmail.com

Attn: Dear Sir/Madam,

We are pleased to introduce ourselves as Micro Finance Investment Ltd, We
are in urgent need of investment representative/partner in your country,
and We have £100,000,000.GBP (One Hundred Million Great Britain Pounds
Only) for investment purpose in your country due to the present favorable
civil administrative reforms, sustainable business developments and rapid
economic growth of your esteem country.

We want a trustworthy, integrity, transparent, capable and reliable person
to receive this funds on behalf of our company and invest it on any
profitable sector(s) of his/her choice in his/her country, We will offer
you 5% of the £100 Million Great Britain Pounds which is £5 Million Great
Britain Pounds as the first mutual benefits to you as our
representative/partner in your country. This investment fund is 100%
genuine and hassle free and also the projects will be executed under a
legitimate process that will protect both parties from any breach of the
law.

Urgently get back to us if you are capable and reliable to represent our
company interest in your country or if there is any other lucrative sector
in the area related to your fields, You can verify about Micro Finance
Investment Limited on your own to clarify your doubts and to satisfy your
curiosity and also feel free to ask questions in any area of this
transaction that you do not understand.

Thanking you and looking forward to work with you for life time
venture(s)as we wait your swift response.

Regards
Mr. Phil Johnson
INVESTMENT GENERAL MANAGER
MICRO FINANCE INVESTMENT LTD

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam