419 scam: Michael <michaelseclock@gmail.com> Hello Friend

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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)
This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
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.
- clydeco064@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: Michael <michaelseclock@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mattahkofi@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 5 May 2022 17:14:28 +0100
Subject: Hello Friend

Dear Friend

where have you been? I am wondering if my emails are making it through
to your inbox?

I'm happy to inform you about my success in getting those funds
transferred under the cooperation of a new partner from Russia,
Presently I'm in Solomon Islands for investment Projects with my own
share of the total sum. Meanwhile, I didn't forget your past efforts
and attempts to assist me in transferring those funds despite that it
failed us somehow. It is not your fault, I know what you and I went
through.

You are advised to contact Mr. Clyde Swasse on this e-mail address:
({{ clydeco064@gmail.com }}) ask him to send you the total of
US$950.000.00 which I kept for your compensation for all the past
efforts and attempts to assist me in this matter in the past. I
appreciated your efforts at that time very much. So feel free and get
in touch with Mr. Clyde Swasse and instruct him where to send the
amount to you.

Please do contact him immediately and receive it so that we can share
the joy after all the sufferings at that time. At the moment, I am
very busy here because of the Investment projects which me and the new
partner are having at hand. Finally, Remember that I had forwarded
instructions to him on your behalf to receive your compensation money,
so feel free and get in touch with him today because this may be the
last email you receive from me.

Best Regards,
Mr. Ezra Michael

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam