419 scam: "U.S. Department of Homeland Security"<paulrobert@qatar.io> U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

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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. )
- "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)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (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: "U.S. Department of Homeland Security" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <Jayson.Ahern@blumail.org>
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:45:23 +0100
Subject: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

DHS Seal Navigates to CBP homepage
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20528; CITIZEN LINE.

URGENT ATTENTION ORIGIN OF FUNDS CERTIFICATE NEEDED;

THIS IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT OF YOUR AFFIRMATION AND TO INFORM YOU OF THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT AS REGARD THE DELIVERY OF YOUR CONSIGNMENT PACKAGE BY THE DIPLOMAT JAIME F ROBERT. WHILE SCANNING THE PACKAGE, OUR CASH TRACK MACHINE DETECTED THAT THE CONTENT OF THE PACKAGE THE DIPLOMAT IS DELIVERING TO YOU IS CASH WORTH THE SUM OF ( $850.000.00 USD ) EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS IT IS A CRIME TO BRING IN MONEY (OVER US$10,000) INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WITHOUT PROPER DOCUMENTATIONS AND CLEARANCE BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT THE MONEY IS EITHER BEING SMUGGLED INTO THE COUNTRY OR THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDS IS QUESTIONABLE.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT ALL THE RELEVANT DOCUMENTATIONS NEEDED TO AUTHENTICATE THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDS ARE PROVIDED TO PROVE THAT THE FUNDS WERE EARNED LEGITIMATELY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PATRIOT ACT SO THAT THE FBI,IRS AND HOMELAND SECURITY WILL NOT COME KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR. IN LINE OF THE ABOVE, IT IS THEREFORE MANDATORY THAT YOU PROVIDE THE ORIGIN OF FUNDS CERTIFICATE (O.O.F) TO PROVE THAT THE FUNDS HAVE NO LINKS WITH ANY FORM OF ILLEGALITY.

BEING THE BENEFICIARY OF THE PACKAGE, THE ORIGIN OF FUNDS CERTIFICATE (O.O.F) IS THE ONLY WAY OF CONFIRMING THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDS AND IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THE CERTIFICATE BEFORE THE DIPLOMAT WILL BE ALLOWED TO COMPLETE THE DELIVERY TO YOU TOMORROW.

THE DIPLOMAT'S FLIGHT DETAILS SHOWS THAT HE CAME FROM BENIN REPUBLIC AND WE HAVE CONTACTED THE RELEVANT AUTHORITIES IN THAT COUNTRY TO ENQUIRER ABOUT THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE CERTIFICATE.WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE BENEFICIARY OF THE PACKAGE WILL PAY FOR THE CERTIFICATE AND THE COST OF THIS DOCUMENTATIONS $185 DOLLARS; YOU HAVE TO PAY THIS FEE DIRECTLY TO THEM VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OR MONEY GRAM IN THE NAME STATED BELOW:

RECEIVER NAME:ONYEKWE JAMES PETER
COUNTRY: BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY: COTONOU
TEXT QUESTION: WHEN
ANSER: TODAY
AMOUNT $185

UPON THE RECEIPT OF THE PAYMENT INFORMATION, THE CERTIFICATE WILL BE MADE OUT IN YOUR NAME BY THE COTONOU REPUBLIQUE DU BENIN AUTHORITY, SCANNED AND SEND IMMEDIATELY VIA EMAIL TO US SO THAT THE DIPLOMAT WILL BE ALLOWED TO COMPLETE THE DELIVERY OF YOUR PACKAGE TO YOU TOMORROW. FAILURE TO PAY FOR THIS DOCUMENTATION IS A CONFIRMATION THAT YOU WANTED TO SMUGGLE THE FUNDS INTO THE COUNTRY WHICH IS A FEDERAL OFFENSE AND A GROSS VIOLATION OF THE PATRIOT ACT. IT IS THEREFORE IN YOUR BEST INTEREST THAT YOU PAY FOR THE CERTIFICATE AS INSTRUCTED IMMEDIATELY AS THE CONSEQUENCES OF REFUSING IS VERY SEVERE,

SIGN

JANET NAPOLITANO
SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20528;

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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam