419 scam: US AMBASSADOR <ms.aline@att.net> GOOD NEWS US AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA

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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)
- "western union" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "abuja" (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.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: US AMBASSADOR <ms.aline@att.net>
Reply-To: ambassador602010@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2010 20:47:23 -0800 (PST)
Subject: GOOD NEWS US AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA

GOOD NEWS
US AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
11 GARIK ROAD ABUJA
ABUJA, NIGERIA

DEAR FRIEND.
GOOD NEWS STOP SPENDING YOUR MONEY UNNECESSARY: I HAVE COME TO HELP YOU!!

SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCES THAT WAS RENDERED TO YOU IN YOUR LINE OF INHERITANCE PAYMENT TRANSACTION WITH SOME IMPERSONATORS SOME WHILE AGO, THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE IS TO SETTLE ALL OUTSTANDING DEBTS OWED TO FOREIGN BENEFICIARIES WHOSE PAYMENT HAS LONG OVERDUE . THROUGH OUR INTELLIGENT INVESTIGATIONS AND PROBING PROCESSES WE DISCOVERED THAT YOU ARE A VICTIM OF FRAUD / FUND DELAY.

I HAVE AT RECENT TIMES GIVEN HOPE TO MANY FOREIGN BENEFICIARIES WHOSE SITUATION ARE WORSE THAN YOURS, I UNDERSTAND ALL YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH IN THE PAST. NOW I SHALL BE COMING TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR AN OFFICIAL MEETING ON FRIDAY 24TH OF DECEMBER, 2010 AND I WILL BE BRINGING YOUR FUNDS OF US$3.5M ALONG WITH ME BUT THIS TIME I WILL NOT GO THROUGH CUSTOMS BECAUSE AS AN AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA, I AM A US GOVERNMENT AGENT AND I HAVE THE VETO POWER TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS.

AS SOON AS I AM THROUGH WITH THE MEETING I SHALL THEN PROCEED TO YOUR ADDRESS.(PLEASE MAKE SURE TO SEND YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER AND THE ADDRESS WHERE YOU WANT ME TO BRING THE PACKAGE). YOU HAVE REALLY PAID SO MUCH IN THIS DELIVERY THAT MAKES ME WONDER. YOU ARE A VERY LUCKY PERSON BECAUSE I SHALL BE BRINGING IT MYSELF AND THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO ABOUT IT.

FOR SAVE DELIVERY OF YOUR PACKAGE ($3.5MILLION) IT MUST BE REGISTERED AS AN AMBASSADORIAL PACKAGE FOR ME TO DEFEAT ALL ODDS AND THE COST OF REGISTERING IT IS $100 ONLY (ONE HUNDRED US DOLLARS ONLY) THE FEE MUST BE PAID IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS VIA WESTERN UNION SO THAT ALL NECESSARY ARRANGEMENT CAN BE MADE BEFORE TIME WILL BE AGAINST US.

SEND THE FEE VIA MONEY GRAM OR WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER TO THE BELOW INFORMATION:-

RECEIVER'S NAME: BILL HILL
ADDRESS: ABUJA , NIGERIA
TEXT QUESTION: A
ANSWER: B
AMOUNT US$100 ONLY

AS SOON AS YOU SEND THE FEE MAKE SURE YOU SEND ME THE PAYMENT INFORMATION. MY FLIGHT IS THURSDAY AND I EXPECT YOU TO COMPLY BEFORE THEN SO THAT THE DELIVERY CAN BE COMPLETED.

IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY, THEN IT WILL NOT BE MY FAULT IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE YOUR PACKAGE.

BEST REGARDS,
AMBASSADOR ROBIN RENEE

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam