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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "U.S. Customs and Border Protection \(CBP\)" <officialsm1984@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2012 08:30:31 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Your package US$4.5,00,000 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)





 
Attn: Please
 
From: A G Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
 
This is to acknowledge the receipt of your affirmation and to inform you of  the latest development as regards the delivery of your consignment package by the Diplomat Philip Douglas. While scanning the package,our trashcan machine detected that the content of the package the Diplomat is delivering to you is cash worth the sum of USD $4.5M, Four Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars
 
It is a crime to bring in money (over US$10,000) into the United States of America without proper documentations and clearance because it shows that the money is either being smuggled into the country or the source of the funds is questionable. It is very important that all the relevant documentations needed to authenticate the source of the funds are provided to prove that the funds were earned legitimately in accordance with the PATRIOT ACT so that the FBI,IRS and Homeland Security will not come knocking at your door. In lieu of the above,It is therefore mandatory that you provide the Origin of Funds Certificate (O.O.F)  to prove that the funds have no links with any form of illegality.
 
Being the beneficiary of the package,the Origin of Funds Certificate(O.O.F) is the only way of confirming the source of the funds and it is your responsibility to provide the Certificate before the Diplomat will be allowed to complete the delivery To You Tomorrow. The Diplomat's Flight Details shows that he came from Africa and we have contacted the relevant Authorities in that country to enquirer about the process of getting the Certificate.
 
We were informed that the beneficiary of the package will pay for the Certificate and the cost of this documentation is US$165, You have to pay this fee directly to them via Western Union Money Transfer in the name stated below:
 
 
Receiver Name:  Mrs. Obala Tony Mike
Country:   Benin Republic
City:       Cotonou
Text Question:  When
Answer:          Today
Amount               $165
 
Upon the receipt of the payment information,the Certificate will be made out in your name by the African Economic Controller, scanned and send immediately via email to us so that the Diplomat will be allowed to complete the delivery of your package to you tomorrow. Failure to pay for this documentation is a confirmation that you wanted to smuggle the funds into the country which is a federal offense and a gross violation of the Patriot Act.
 
It is therefore in your best interest that you pay for the Certificate as instructed immediately as the consequences of refusing is very severe.
 

Jayson Ahern
 
 
A G Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(CBP):

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