419 scam: "MR MICHEAL GIFFORD" <michael.gifford@qip.ru> Dear Customer,

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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "you have to be fast" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "cotonou" (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.

Fraud email example:

From: "MR MICHEAL GIFFORD" <michael.gifford@qip.ru>
Reply-To: jack.robert@qip.ru
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2016 19:13:03 +0100
Subject: Dear Customer,

Dear Customer,

My name is Mr. Jack Robert,Born in Ghana and currently working as a
special and International Diplomat of the U.S Embassy Cotonou Benin
Republic West Africa .

All the legal back up papers to prove to the John Fitzgerald Kennedy
international airport Authority here that your fund is no way related with
drug nor fraud money, has being presented and handed over to the JFK
Airport Authority and they are very much pleased with the papers.

The package contain an ATM Visa Card worth USD$7.9 Million and your daily
limit withdrawal is USD$12,000.00 per day and can be used to make
transaction locally and internationally as I was informed by the UBA Bank
PLC Porto Novo Benin republic.

The sum of $255.00 is required to secure clearance certificate from the
origin of your ATM visa card so that the Custom Security Department here
in JFK international airport New York will allow me in to come and make
the delivery to your home address as I was mandated before I left
Africa.The fee need to be paid before the delivery of your ATM visa card
parcel will commence. So try your best and send the charge fee today delay
is not allowed or else the package will be returned back and marked as
unclaimed. Use the details below to send the required charge fee US$255.00
to the Benin-Customs-Service via money gram Money Transfer to enable the
delivery success.

Receiver Name: Mr. JOHN ANAGOR
Address: 44/C Apkapka BP Godome 70889 Porto Novo Benin Rep.
City Location: Porto Novo
Country: Benin Republic
Text Question: How Long?
Answer: 24 Hours
Amount: US$255.00
REF
Sender....

I await your reply with the payment confirmation details so I can forward
the wire information to Benin-Customs-Service so they can issue the needed
certificate in your name and send it to me here in JFK Airport, so the
airport Authority here in John Fitzgerald Kennedy airport will allow me in
to make the delivery to your home address as scheduled, so they can allow
me to connect my flight to your state airport and send you my flight
details to you so that we will meet at the airport. You have to be fast
please in sending the needed US$255.00 to enable me join the next
available flight to your state airport today and make the delivery to you.
Call me on this telephone number +1-406-266-8605

Yours in Services,
Diplomat Jack Robert
+1-406-266-8605
E-mail:jack.robert@qip.ru

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam