419 scam: "Mr. Michael Anderson" <biz@tortureride.net> My good friend,

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "lagos" (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.
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.
- ma02402420002@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Michael Anderson" <biz@tortureride.net>
Reply-To: ma02402420002@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2023 09:34:26 -0700
Subject: My good friend,

--
Greetings,

My name is Mr. Michael Anderson, I am a Branch Manager of a Bank here in
Nigeria, West Africa, I got your information during my research on the
Internet. It may interest you to hear that I am a man of PEACE and don't
want problems, I only hope we can assist each other. If you don't want
this
business offer kindly forget it, as I will not contact you again.

It may surprise you to receive this letter from me, since there has been
no
previous correspondence between us. I will also like to make it clear
here
that l know that the internet has been grossly abused by criminal minded
people making it difficult for people with genuine intention to
correspond
and exchange views without skepticism.

I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us. As
a
Branch Manager of the Bank, it is my duty to send in a Financial Report
to
my head office in Lagos at the end of each year.

In the course of the last year 2022 end of the year report, I discovered
that my branch where I am the Manager made an excess profit of
[US$10,500,000.00] which my head office is not aware of and will never
be
aware of. I have since placed this fund in an ESCROW ACCOUNT.

As a staff of the bank I cannot be directly linked to this money, so
this
made me to contact you for us to work together so that you can assist me
and receive this fund into your bank account for us to SHARE.

I am offering you 40% of the total fund, while you keep 60% for me in
your
bank account till I join you for the sharing/investment of my own share
of
the funds or we can go into a joint partnership venture, I will
appreciate
it very much.

As soon as I receive your response through this Address(
ma02402420002@gmail.com ) I will give you more details on how we can
achieve it successfully.

This is 100% risk free and 100% legal and your earliest response to this
matter would be highly appreciated,

Yours Sincerely,
Mr. Michael Anderson.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam