419 scam: "Terence P.McCulley" <usambasadortonigeria@qatar.io> 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:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- ",000,000" (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)
- "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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Terence P.McCulley" <usambasadortonigeria@qatar.io>
Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:32:33 +0100
Subject: US AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA

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

Dear Sir/ Madam

My name is Terence Patrick McCulley, 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.

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 $1,000,000.00 USD be paid to you as compensation
for all the years and money you have spent trying to claim
your fund Hence,I am bringing your fund myself and there is
nothing anybody can do about it.

Meanwhile, you are required to furnish us with the following
information.

YOUR FULL NAMES……....?
TELEPHONE .....?
DIRECT HOME ADDRESS:.....?
ANY FORM OF IDENTIFICATION (DRIVING LICENSE OR INTERNATIONAL
PASSPORT)…..

Respectfully yours,
Terence P. McCulley
US Ambassador to Nigeria

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam