419 scam: "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement." <infoecob@gmail.com> Urgent From U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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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:
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cotonou" (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 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.
- +22997948648 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- fcouriercompany407@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement." <infoecob@gmail.com>
Reply-To: fcouriercompany407@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2011 06:45:02 +0900 (KST)
Subject: Urgent From U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Director
John Morton
U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
500
12th St., SW
Washington, D.C. 20536

Beneficiary:

This is to acknowledge the receipt of your Consignment box,which unhold into our Customs
Custody since over 4:38pm 14-10-2011: due to Clearance
Certificate,In latest development as
regards the delivery of your consignment box by the FedEx Courier
Company, Further notification, on processing to release your consignment box
located to your home address, we scanned the consignment box and noticed that it
contents cash total amount of $1, 000, 000, 00, One Millions United States of
America.

It is a crime to bring in money (over US$10,000) into the United
States of America without proper documentations and Authorizations Permit
Delivery, 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
move further investigation through your provided home and office address.

In line of the above, it is therefore mandatory that
you provide the Authorizations Permit Delivery (APD) to prove that the funds
have no links with any form of illegality. Being the beneficiary of the
Consignment box, Authorizations Permit Delivery (APD) is the only way of
confirming the source of the funds and it is your responsibility to provide the
Certificate before the delivery would locate your home address to complete the delivery to
you.

Morever, you would bear the cost of Authorizations Permit Delivery
(APD) total sum of $180.00, if you need your
consignment box to arrive into your home address, upon the receiption of the
payment by the FedEx Courier Company, the Authorizations Permit Delivery
Certificate will be made out in your name.

Your consignment box will be allowed to complete the delivery to
you once FedEx Courier Company confirmed the needed $180.00, for Authorizations
Permit Delivery. Failure to pay for this documentation is a confirmation that
you wanted to smuggle the funds into the country which is a federal offence and
a gross violation of the Patriot Act.

It is therefore in your best
interest that you pay for the Authorizations Permit Delivery Certificate
as instructed immediately as the consequences of refusing is very severe.

Contact FedEx Courier Company with below email address:

Attn: Mr. John Ozor
FedEx Courier Company Managing Director
Benin Republic West African States.
Rue 1411 Cotonou/ Benin Republic.
E-mail: fcouriercompany407@gmail.com
Tel: +229 9794 8648

Your urgent reply will be appreciated.

Thanks
Mr, John Morton
Director Customs
Service Department
United States of
America.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam