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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Michael Rice" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dmicrice55@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 25 Nov 2012 06:40:28 +0100
Subject: Looking forward for your immediate responds,

Michael Rice
UNITED NATIONS ENVOY
INSPECTION UNIT
JFK International Airport New York.
Hi,

I am Michael Rice Director Inspection Unit United Nations Inspection
Agent in JFK International Airport New York.. During our
investigation, I discovered An abandoned shipment through a Diplomat
from United Kingdom which was forwarded from JFK International Airport
New York to our facility here in New York and when scanned it was
revealed an undisclosed sum of money in a Metal Trunk Box weighing
approximately 110kg. The consignment was abandoned because the Content
was not properly declared by the consignee as money rather it was
declared as personal effect to avoid diversion by the Shipping Agent
also the Diplomat inability to pay for Non Inspection Fees and other
necessary charges as demanded by the officials.
On my assumption, the box contain more that $7M or above and the
consignment is still left in storage house till today through a
registered shipping Company, Courier Dispatch Service Limited a
division of Tran guard LTD. The Consignment is one metal box with
weight of about 110kg (Internal dimension: W61 x H156 x D73 (cm).
Effective capacity: 680 L.)Approximately,

The details of the consignment including your name, the official
document from United Nation office in London are tagged on the Metal
Trunk box. If you want us to transact the delivery for mutual benefit,
you should provide your Phone Number, full address, to cross check if
it corresponds with the address on the official document including the
name of nearest Airport around you and other details. You should send
the required details to me for onward delivery. All communication must
be held extremely confidential. I can get everything concluded within
24 to 48 hours upon your acceptance and proceed to your address for
delivery. But it must be on the condition that you will give me 40% of
the amount contained in the boxes and I must get assurance from you
concerning my 40% before I will proceed. I want us to transact this
business and share the money, since the shippers have abandoned it and
ran away.

Looking forward for your immediate responds,
Best Regards,
Michael Rice

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