419 scam: "AGENT WALTER SKINNER'S OFFICE"<walterskinner@scottishmail.co.uk> Attention : LEGAL CONSIGNEE (BENEFICIARY)

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "diplomatic immunity"
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)
- "headquater" (this email uses bad English)
- "diplomatic immunity" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "AGENT WALTER SKINNER'S OFFICE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <walterskinner@skymail.mn>
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:11:40 +0700
Subject: Attention : LEGAL CONSIGNEE (BENEFICIARY)

FROM: AGENT WALTER SKINNER'S OFFICE
REGIONAL DIRECTOR
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
INTELLIGENCE FIELD UNIT
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES
24 GROSVENOR SQUARE
LONDON W1A 1AE,UNITED KINGDOM
020 7499 9000

URGENT ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY,

I AM SPECIAL AGENT WALTER SKINNER FROM THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) INTELLIGENCE UNIT. WE HAVE JUST INTERCEPTED AND CONFISCATED ONE (1) CONSIGNMENT BOX AT EDINBURGH AIRPORT,SCOTLAND, AND ARE ON THE VERGE OF MOVING IT TO OUR BUREAU HEAD QUARTERS.

WE HAVE SCANNED THE SAID CONSIGNMENT BOX, AND HAVE FOUND IT TO CONTAIN A TOTAL SUM OF USD$10.5MILLION AND ALSO BACKUP DOCUMENT WHICH BEARS YOUR NAME AS THE RECEIVER OF THE MONEY CONTAINED IN THE CONSIGNMENT BOX. INVESTIGATIONS CARRIED OUT ON THE DIPLOMAT WHICH ACCOMPANIED THE CONSIGNMENT BOX INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS IT THAT HE WAS TO DELIVER THIS FUNDS TO YOUR RESIDENCE AS YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE PAYMENT WHICH WAS DUE FOR YOU FROM THE OFFICE OF FINANCE MINSTER OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA.

WE CROSS-CHECKED ALL LEGAL DOCUMENTATION IN THE BOX, AND WERE ABOUT TO RELEASE THE CONSIGNMENT TO THE DIPLOMAT, WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT THE CONSIGNMENT BOX IS LACKING ONE VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENTATION WHICH AS A RESULT, THE CONSIGNMENT BOX HAVE BEEN CONFISCATED UNTIL THE REQUIRED DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED.

ACCORDING TO SECTION 229 SUBSECTION 31 OF THE 1991 CONSTITUTION ON RELEASE OF UNCLAIMED CONSIGNMENT PAYMENT, YOUR CONSIGNMENT LACKS DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY CUSTOMS CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE AND FOR THAT REASON YOU MUST CONTACT ME FOR DIRECTION ON HOW TO PROCURE THIS CERTIFICATE, SO THAT YOUR CONSIGNMENT CAN BE LEGALLY CLEARED AND OKAY FOR DELIVERY TO YOU.
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO CONTACT THIS BUREAU WITHIN 72HOURS OR WE WOULD TAKE IT THAT YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR CONSIGNMENT, AND WOULD MOVE IT TO THE HEADQUATERS TREASURY.

ALSO, YOU MUST NOT CONTACT ANY OTHER BANK FOR ANY PAYMENT, BECAUSE YOUR PAYMENT IS HERE IN CARE OF OUR STORAGE VAULT TEAM AND WILL BE RELEASED TO YOU ONCE YOU FOLLOW MY DIRECTIONS.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

YOURS IN SERVICE
AGENT WALTER SKINNER
REGIONAL DIRECTOR
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
INTELLIGENCE FIELD UNIT
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES
24 GROSVENOR SQUARE
LONDON W1A 1AE,UNITED KINGDOM
020 7499 9000

Confidentiality notice: this communication and its attachments may contain non-public, confidential or legally privileged information. The unlawful interception, use or disclosure of such information is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, or have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply email and delete all copies of this communication and attachments without reading or saving them

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam