419 scam: "Mr. Michael J. Morell"<scanner@pstrainingcenter.com> VERY IMPORTANT YOU FOLLOW MY ADVICE

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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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "lome togo" (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.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Michael J. Morell" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mmorell1981@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2014 17:22:31 -0700
Subject: VERY IMPORTANT YOU FOLLOW MY ADVICE

Central Intelligence Agency
Office of Public Affairs Headquarters
Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW Washington, D.C. 20535-0001, USA.
Website: https://www.cia.gov/about-cia/leadership/michael-j.-morell.html

To Your Attention,

We, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Washington, D.C. is an independent U.S Government agency responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior US policymakers.

I am Mr. Michael J. Morell , the Acting Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Our investigation has revealed that you have spent a lot of money in your bid to obtaining transfer documents as requested by Imposters, yet all efforts to receive your overdue payment have been to no avail.

However, with the help of some of the best Internet investigators attached to the (CIA), we have taken out time in screening through this project as stipulated on our protocol of operation and in addition, we have sent special financial crime investigators from Washington D.C to Africa in other to carry out proper investigations after receiving series of reports similar to yours as you are not the only person awaiting the legal transfer of funds from Africa.

Based on the findings of our special financial crime investigators, we discovered that your impending payment is being delayed by imposters, claiming to be Bank officials, Governors or Head of Financial institutions in Africa.

In our bid to transparency, I am pleased to inform you that a meeting was held as regards the best way to affect the compensation exercise for transparency and most especially to avoid reoccurrence of the delay in payment. In conclusion, we have come to a final resolution as all the Financial Institutions involved was duly represented.

It might interest you to note that MasterCard International have hence been empowered to assist the United State's Treasury and all the financial institutions involved. The first payment batch approved for release in your favor is "Eight hundred thousand United States dollars ($800,000.00 USD), and it has been credited to MasterCard Account No. 5148 6547 8940 6544 with serial Numbers: 2419873 and Reg. No. MCIMJ: 5148/4172. The said amount of $800,000.00 USD programmed on a Mastercard was approved to be issued to you as a valid international ATM MasterCard accepted in more than a million ATM's, over 210 countries around the World, with a daily withdrawal Limit of Ten thousand United States Dollars.

The ATM card has already being packaged and approved to be delivered to your doorstep via DHL Courier Service, which is a registered and credible courier company that has clearly proved their Integrity and first class delivery services in the just concluded Third Quarter payment of the year 2013.

By virtue of my position at the Central Intelligence Agency, I have made complaints to them in regards to your package and I have also told them that i want your package to be shipped to you as soon as possible. However, I have received an update from the U.S Treasury and the Federal Reserve Bank today in regards to your package, and I want you to follow their advice and instruction, so that your package can be shipped to you. For your confirmation, I was made to understand that the fee holding your package is $190.00 only and once the fee is paid, shipment will commence same day to your address.

For this reason, my advice to you now is to go ahead and send the $190.00 to them and i will make sure shipment commence once the fee is received by them. Note: MY ADVICE AND INSTRUCTION IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR A SUCCESSFUL CLOSURE OF THIS TRANSACTION.

PLEASE SEND THE FEE OF $190.00 USD VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TO "OKECHUKWU NWABUEZE" AND I ASSURE YOU THAT SHIPMENT WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY. THE RECEIVER'S INFORMATION REQUIRED TO SEND THE FEE IS INDICATED HEREUNDER:

Receiver: OKECHUKWU NWABUEZE
Receiver's Location: LOME TOGO
Test Question: COLOR
Answer: BLUE
Amount: $190 USD

Once payment is made get back to me with the payment confirmation details, so that shipment can commence immediately.

Your urgent action on this notice will be appreciated.

Respectfully Yours,
Mr. Michael J. Morell
Acting Director, Central Intelligence Agency

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam