419 scam: Maryann Michel <contact953@yahoo.com> Hearty greetings

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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:
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: Maryann Michel <contact953@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: maryanmichel@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2017 02:46:20 -0700
Subject: Hearty greetings

Hearty greetings,

I suppose this letter may come to you as huge surprise, but I beseech you to take your time and go through the content carefully as the decision you make will go a long way to save souls. I am Mrs. Maryann Michel aging widow of 67 years old suffering from terminal illness - writing to you from hospital. I have some funds $10.5 million US to dispose and I needed a very honest and God fearing who can withdraw this money and use the funds for Charity works. I found your email from the humanitarian event calendar and after deep prayers for God's direction, i decided to contact you and entrust this funds to you for charity work before leaving this world.

I abide by this decision because I do not have any child who will inherit this money after I die. I wholeheartedly need your assistance in this matter and you must neither fail me nor millions of the less privilege out there. This is no stolen money and there are no dangers involved, it is risk free with full legal proof. Please if you would be able to use the funds for the charity work kindly let me know immediately. I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality and trust in this matter to accomplishing my heart wish, as I don't want anything that will hinder the charity project regarding my present condition. I want you to take 20 percent of the total money for your personal use while 80% of the money will go to charity.

I summoned courage to contact you with faith that you will not fail me and i need your urgent reply so that i will be able to give you more information on how you should receive the money urgently from my bank. I mean urgent due to my condition and i hope you understand and respond me as soon as you receive this mail.

God bless as i am waiting for your quick reply,

Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Maryann Michel.

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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam