419 scam: "Manuel Franco"<a.reichelt@divigroup.com> $4,800,000.00 DOLLARS FOR YOU.

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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:
- "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.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- cofamily@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Manuel Franco"<a.reichelt@divigroup.com>
Reply-To: manuelfrancofamily@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2022 23:28:12 +0100
Subject: $4,800,000.00 DOLLARS FOR YOU.

My name is Mr. Manuel Franco from the United States. I won $768 million fro=
m the Powerball jackpot in April. My wife and I have decided to donate to y=
ou as one of our lucky winners due to the coronavirus that is there in your=
Country. killing people around the world, so you can use it to help people=
in your communities when you receive these donation funds and you can also=
use this donation for any good project in your communities. Your email was=
selected from a spinning ball. I have donated most of my fortune to variou=
s charities here in the United States because I voluntarily decided to dona=
te the sum of $4,800,000.00 Dollars. As your email is among the Lucky winne=
rs, please reply quickly to this email for more information and here is you=
r donation code: [MF4322019 / USA], send your donation code to: (manuelfran=
cofamily@gmail.com) for more information. Greetings from Manuel Franco and =
family.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam