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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: "Dr Mr. Oscar Thomas" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tntexpresscouriers@gmail.it>
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 00:45:22 +0100
Subject: Re: Hello

 
HSBC BANK
INCONJUCTION WITH
UNITED NATIONS.
www.un.org.bj
Good Day.
The UNITED NATIONS IN Affiliation with HSBC BANK has agreed to compensate you with the sum of US$4,950,000.00, for self support. This is regarding the draws he organized before he left the office to help individuals to own a self charity organization also for you’re to build your Personal Company/organization so as to help the less privileged children.
This includes every foreign contractors that may have not received their contract, inheritance sum, and people that have had an unfinished transaction or international businesses that failed due to Government problems and the World financial Crisis etc. We found your name in the list of those who are to benefit from this compensation exercise and that are why we are contacting you.
I'm obliged to inform you that I have paid the fee for the Compensation award Bank Draft Cheque, for self support, Mr. Thomas the Director of HSBC BANK told me that before the cheque will get to your hand that it will expire. So I told him to cash the $4.950, 000.00, to cash payment to avoid losing this funds under expiration as I will be out of the country for a 3 Months Course and I will not come back earlier on till June 2014 . What you have to do now is to contact the TNT Express Courier ( tnt-express-couriers@gmail.it ) as soon as possible to know when they will deliver your Consignment package to you immediatey.For your information, I have paid for the yellow tag fee  and delivery Charge.
The only money you will send to the TNT Courier to deliver your Consignment Package direct to your postal Address in your country is US$115 only being Security Keeping Fee for the TNT Courier Service so far. I would have paid that but they said no because they don't know when you will contact them and in case of demurrages on your Package with them.
Please write a letter of application to the given address below:
Company Name: TNT EXPRESS COURIER
Manager. kessier Febian
Email: tnt-express-couriers@gmail.it
Contact Tel: +229-6858-2475
Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address...., nearest local and international airport..., direct telephone number..... Contact address.... and Your Passport or Driver's license.... to avoid wrong delivery, they will issue you a delivery code#, to enable you track your consignment box and know when it will get to your address.
Let me repeat again, try to contact them as soon as you receive this mail to avoid any further delay and remember to pay them their Security Keeping fee of $115.00 for their immediate action to deliver urgently. Note this. The TNT Courier doesn’t know the contents of the Box Package. I registered it as a BOX of Africa cloths. They did not know the contents were money. This is to avoid them delaying with the BOX.  Don't let them know that box contains money ok.
We are sorry for the past inconveniences
Regards,
Dr Mr. Oscar Thomas
HSBC BANK
CC DEPT

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