419 scam: "DR. Bob WILLIAMS" <terry_hedges@yahoo.com> ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY OF $10,500,000.00

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "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. )
- "certificate fee" (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. )
- "mtcn" (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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "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.
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.
- beninrepubliccustomoffice25@rocketmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "DR. Bob WILLIAMS" <terry_hedges@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: beninrepubliccustomoffice25@rocketmail.com
Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2012 11:00:22 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY OF $10,500,000.00

CUSTOMS SERVICES
AUTHORITY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HARRISBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MDT)
PENNSYLVANIA UNITED STATES DIRECTOR OFFICE IN CHARFE. DR. AGUILAR GEORGE 514
AIRPORT RD. HARRISBURG,PA,17056,US

ATTENTION:
BENEFICIARY OF $10,500,000.00

THIS IS TO INFORM
YOU ABOUT YOUR PACKAGE HERE THAT WAS CONFISCATED BY THIS US CUSTOM OFFICE IN
HARRISBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MDT) PENNSYLVANIA UNITED
STATES

YOUR PACKAGE IS
HERE FOR LONGTIME NOW DUE TO YOUR DELAY AFTER THE DIPLOMAT AGENT ARRIVE FROM
AFRICAN WITH THE CONSIGNMENT BOX WORTH OF $10.5 USD AND WE ARE TO GIVE YOU 12
HOURS FOR YOU TO GET ALL YOUR CLEARANCE PAPER WORKS OUT, WITH THE AMOUNT OF $89
DOLLARS ONLY, WE NEED IT AT THE OFFICE BEFORE THIS HOURS OR THE CONSIGNMENT BOX
WILL BE SEIZED AGAIN FOR THE FINAL DIVERSION BY GOVERNMENT OF USA HERE AND YOU
WILL LOSE THE CONSIGNMENT BOX,

BESIDES NO
CONSIGNMENT BOX LEAVES THE INTERNATIONAL AIR PORT WITHOUT OUR NEEDED CUSTOMS
CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE WHICH COST ONLY $89, BECAUSE SOMETIME AGO NOW THE DIPLOMAT
HAVE BEEN EMAILING YOU TO SEND US OUR CUSTOMS CLEARANCE CERTIFCATE FEES BUT YOU
KEEP ON DELAYING THEN WE ADVICE AGAIN IF YOU MISS THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY
THAT MEANS IT WILL BE VERY HARD FOR YOU TO GET THIS CONSIGNMENT
AGAIN,

ONCE AGAIN WE NEED
YOUR ANXIOUS MAIL DIRECT TO THIS US CUSTOM OFFICE BEFORE THIS HOURS FOR YOUR
CONSIGNMENT TO LEAVE THIS AIR PORT TO YOUR LOCATION. THIS IS THE ONLY MONEY YOU
WILL PAY NOTHING MORE ! NOTHING LESS!

YOU CAN DIRECT THE
IMMUNITY STAMP TAG CERTIFICATE FEES TO BENIN REPUBLIC CUSTOM HEAD OFFICE AS THE
ORIGIN OF YOUR CONSIGNMENT BOX AND THEY WILL GET IT OBTAIN TO ENABLE THE U.S
CUSTOM RELEASE THIS DIPLOMAT AGENT TO YOUR DESTINATION. AND THEY ARE ENTITLED TO
RECEIVE ANY PAYMENT TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES AND ALSO NOTED THAT THE REQUIER PAYMENT
OF $68 SHALL SENT TO USA HERE FOR SECURITY REASON SO THAT WE CAN FORWARD TO THE
BENIN REPUBLIC CUSTOM SERVICE AS THE ORIGINATOR OF YOUR
PACKAGE.

RECEIVER NAME...
NWAOBI JOS
ADDRESS.... NO; 5, MISEBA STR
COUNTRY.....BENIN
REPUBLIC
LOCATION CITY.... COTONOU
TEST
QUESTION.....URGENT
ANSWER.....URGENT
AMOUNT:$89
MTCN
No#.....

YOUR CONSIGNMENT
BOX IS HERE FOR LONGTIME NOW DUE TO YOUR DELAY AFTER THE DIPLOMAT AGENT ARRIVE
FROM AFRICAN WITH THE CONSIGNMENT BOX AND WE ARE TO GIVE YOU 1-2 BUSINESS DAYS?
WE NEED IT AT THE OFFICE WITHIN 1-2 BUSINESS DAYS

THANK AND GOD BLESS.
BEST REGARDS
DR. BOB
WILLIAMS
E-MAIL TO CONTACT
( beninrepubliccustomoffice25@rocketmail.com)
FROM
CUSTOMS SERVICES USA AUTHORITY COUNTRY

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam