419 scam: "Mr. Bernie L. Madoff" <bermadixxx@xxxy.com> Kindly read and get back to me!!!

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",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)
- "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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Bernie L. Madoff" <bermadixxx@xxxy.com>
Reply-To: bernardmad78@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2016 17:01:05 -0800
Subject: Kindly read and get back to me!!!

Dear Friend,

I am Bernard Madoff, the founder of Wall Street Firm, Bernard L. Madoff inv=
estmentsecurities LLC in 1960 and was the former chairman of NASDAQ. I was =
accuses of fraud worth over $170 Billion Dollars and was arrested on Dec 11=
, 2008 and on March 12, 2009, I was convicted of 11 federal crimes and admi=
tted to operating the largest ponzi Scheme in history.(http://money.howstuf=
fworks.com/ponzi-scheme5.htm) Let me not go into much details.

I have in my possession the sum of Seventy Million United States of America=
n Dollars (70,000,000.00USD) in a Bank, which nobody else knows about this =
except my account officers because the money was deposited under serial cod=
es. I need your help, to get this money out from the bank where its deposit=
ed and keep safely for me as I am sure of coming out from jail soon from my=
appeal. I have lost everything in life and I can't get close to this fund =
on my own due to my situation, because the government have confiscated ever=
ything that I have. And are still eager to confiscate more if they find out=
any money or asset linking to me which I do not want it to happen That is =
why i contacted you to partner with me to get the fund to a safer bank wher=
e you can have control over it.

This is the sharing modalities, 50% goes to charity and 20% will be mapped =
out for the promotion of gospel, building of churches and mosques all over =
the world and 25% for you while 4% goes to the bank officials who will help=
you facilitate the transaction and 1% for my up keeping in the prison. I k=
now that i will die very soon because of my heart attack and kidney cancer,=
and when I die, my 1% up keep will be added to the charity making it 51%. =
You need to assure me that I can trust you and you will not capitalize on m=
y problem to divert this fund once it gets to you. I would have prefer if y=
ou can visit me in the prison to see me and discuss detail with me but if y=
ou cannot, I will do it basically on trust since I have no choice.

I will be waiting for your reply any moment from now.

With Kind regards

Benard Madoff

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