419 scam: "U.S. Department of the Treasury" <info@ustreasury.org> FROM MR. WILLIAM LEE VINE HEAD OF CONSIGNMENT LODGINGS.

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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:
- "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. )
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "million dollars" (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)
- "deadline" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
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: "U.S. Department of the Treasury" <info@ustreasury.org>
Reply-To: mrwilliam.leevine11@live.com
Date: Mon, 6 Jun 2011 07:01:35 -0400
Subject: FROM MR. WILLIAM LEE VINE HEAD OF CONSIGNMENT LODGINGS.

Office of Foreign Assets Lodgings of
U.S. Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20220
E-mail: mrwilliam.leevine11@live.com

FROM MR. WILLIAM LEE VINE HEAD OF CONSIGNMENT LODGINGS.

ATTENTION BENEFICIARY

I am Mr. William Lee Vine working in foreign Assets Treasury Lodgings of U.S.
Department of the Treasury

Washington, DC, I was appointed by the world Bank and I am writing to inform
you that today at the Foreign

Assets Treasury Lodgings of U.S. Department of the Treasury Washington, DC we
received and acknowledged your

inheritance funds via cash consignment box from United Nations (UN)
Association of London, United Kingdom

Liaison Office valued at $10.5 Million Dollars.

I deem necessary to inform you that the retrieving of your inheritance was
witnessed by the Federal Bureau of

Investigation (FBI) and the Interpol envoys deployed to London by United
States Department of the Treasury to

monitor the proceedings confirmed it to be a fair judgment by the Bureau and
the Interpol as the outcome of

the event was a perfect solution to curtail the activities of con artist and
scam generally and is also a

perfect end to your payment. Your Beneficiary Funds that was allotted into
cash consignment baggage is now

been deposited in our pecuniary vault the Foreign Assets Treasury Lodgings of
U.S. Department of the Treasury

Washington, DC.

The proceed of these event was successful because the United Kingdom Prime
Minister Gordon Brown, dedicated

his time to guarantee success to it due to his fight to eradicate deception,
corruption and terrorism that

has deeply rooted in government. It was also an achievement for him to meet
the deadline given at the G8

Summit in Tokyo to clear outstanding Beneficiary debts and Lottery Wining
Debts. Hence you have to pay for

the diplomatic stickers at the Mobile Brookley International Airport in
Mobile, Alabama which will cost you

the sum of $650USD and they have all your legal paper work with them at the
airport, also note that you are

to send the payment to their agent in person of MRS JOYCE MIDDLETON in Mobile
Alabama Via Western Union Money

Transfer Office Or Money Gram Office.

I will also advice you to re-confirm your contact details as stated below.

Full Name:

Residence Address:

Current Occupation:

Cell Phone Number:

Contact Telephone Numbers:

Nationality:

Any Form of Prove of Identification:

Current Age:

At the receipt of the above information and the payment been sent to them at
the airport they will not

hesitate to make the final delivery of your consignment box to your location.
Thank You Very Much And God Bless America.

SINCERELY YOURS
MR. WILLIAM LEE VINE.
HEAD OF CONSIGNMENT LODGINGS.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam