419 scam: "Ambassador Terence P. McCauley" <yinkadavies1@googlemail.com> READ AND REPLY

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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:
- "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)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "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.
- terence051@usa.com (Outblaze.com, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Ambassador Terence P. McCauley" <yinkadavies1@googlemail.com>
Reply-To: jmaduka@info.al
Date: Mon, 30 May 2011 14:46:03 -0700
Subject: READ AND REPLY

United States Consulate General Lagos
2 Walter Carrington Crescent
Victoria Island, Lagos
Nigeria.

Dear Sir/ Madam

My name is Terence Patrick McCauley, the new United States Ambassador
to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The United States Senate had
confirmed my nomination on August 5 2010 after being nominated for
this position by U.S. President Barrack Obama on June 28, 2010. My
credentials as the new Ambassador were presented to His Excellency
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at the Presidential Villa in Abuja,
Nigeria, on November 2, 2010. I am a career member of the senior
Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor whose diplomatic
career has been spent mostly in Africa or working on African issues.
My identity can be verified by simply clicking on the URL link below:

http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/biography.html

However, following the resolution of the meeting held with His
Excellency President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at the Presidential Villa
in Abuja yesterday with some members of the Federal House of Senate,
an agreement was reached that the sum of $500,000.00 USD be paid to
you as compensation for all the years and money you have spent trying
to claim your fund Hence, this sum has been programmed to be paid via
ELECTRONIC BANK METHOD or ATM VISA CARD METHOD, please indicate in
your response the mode of payment best suited for you.

Meanwhile, you are required to furnish us with the following information.
FULL NAME AND ADDRESS……
TELEPHONE AND E-MAIL
ANY FORM OF IDENTIFICATION (DRIVING LICENSE OR INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT)…..

Respectfully yours,
Terence P. McCauley
US Ambassador to Nigeria.
E-mail: terence051@usa.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam