419 scam: Sankala Audu <mahdiwow_m@yahoo.com> Greetings my dear !!

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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:
- "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)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Sankala Audu <mahdiwow_m@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: sankaudu8@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2016 02:13:27 +0100
Subject: Greetings my dear !!

Compliment,

I am Mr. Sankala Audu, Auditor general with one of the prime bank here in my country, In the course of reviewing the audit report for annual remark presented to me to sign; I discovered a floating fund sum of (eight million two hundred thousand US dollars only) in a dormant account opened by a foreigner. After going through the account records and files, I discovered that there was no known beneficiary or next of kin named in all the files with our bank and No one has operated this account since 2009; hence the money has been floating in this account.

Every effort made to track any member of his family failed; rather I discovered that he died without any known heir. My intention is to transfer the sum in the aforementioned account to a safe account overseas. I therefore propose that you partner with me by providing an account that will serve the purpose of receiving this fund. For your partnership in this venture, I am ready to part with a good percentage of the entire funds as your share.

You would be required only to show some proof as the next of kin, which I will provide to you with and guide you on how to make your application of claims legally in accordance to the inheritance claim policy of this country. With your ability to follow my instructions, the entire process can be concluded within 14 working days. No one knows about this account and please keep this proposal as a top secret between us, delete it immediately in your email box if you are not interested.

As soon as I hear from you, I will send you more details on the transaction.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Yours truly,

Mr. Sankala Audu.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam