419 scam: "The Metropolitan police unit London."<info@wu.com> I will be waiting to hear from you as soon as possible.

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447035936069 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "The Metropolitan police unit London." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <franklin.peterson@metropolitian-online.org>
Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2010 11:39:53 +0100
Subject: I will be waiting to hear from you as soon as possible.

The Metropolitan police unit London.

X-RAY AND SCANNING DEPT.

Dear Friend,

I am Mr. Franklin Peterson, of the Metropolitan police unit London , I am in charge of Air Clearance Tariff in-charge of X-Ray Department at the Heathrow Airport London. I am contacting you confidentially in regards of an abandoned consignment under my custody.

I personally made a Scanning (X-Ray) on this package and surprisingly I dictated that the package was filled up with Huge amount of United States Currency Dollar Bills.

My reasons of contacting you on this, is to front you as the recipient of this package and I will give you all the necessary information's and legal papers which you requires to apply for the release by the Metropolitan police London, as the consignment will be among other consignments that will be confiscated by the Government, if it remains unclear by the end of this month.

I agreed that the amount in the package will be share with you on 50/50 bases immediately the package is been released and dispatch to you. I will equally give you the picture of the consignment when it was scanned at the Metropolitan unit logistics.

If you are interested in this deal get back to me immediately and forward the following information's at my private email below.

1:Your Full Name...................

2:Residential Address.................

3:Tel No...............................

4:Country of Origin........................

5:Age/Marital Status.........................

6:A scan copy of International Passport/Drivers license...............

7: Nearest Airport to your home........................................

I will be waiting to hear from you as soon as possible.

Yours in Service

Mr. Franklin Peterson

+44-703-593-6069

franklin.peterson@metropolitian-online.org

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam