419 scam: "Rev Paul Williams"<jmeidinger@daktel.com> UNITED STATE CUSTOMS SERVICE AUTHORITY.

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "clearance document" (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. )
- "you are required to pay " (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. )
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Rev Paul Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <paulw1.1969@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2014 05:47:14 -0700
Subject: UNITED STATE CUSTOMS SERVICE AUTHORITY.

Greeting

I am pleased to inform you that your ATM Card worth of Six Million,
Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$6.7m) sent from
Nigeria as part of your overdue payment/funds was returned to our
office last week from Atlanta, Georgia where it was held due to one
unavailable document. According to the information reaching my desk
today, the ATM Card was returned due to your failure to pay the
necessary charges required by the delivery company to enable it pass
through the security agency.

However, after due investigation was conducted, I found out that your
ATM Card was stopped unnecessarily. Georgia office told us that your
ATM Card has no INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY PERMIT that was why you were
told to pay huge amount of money which you did not pay. But after
further investigation, it was very clear that your ATM Card has the
INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY PERMIT attached to it therefore you will no
longer pay the money you were asked to pay then. Now the only money
you are required to pay is $85 only billed for UNITED STATE CUSTOMS
SERVICE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE to clear your file so that you can
receive your ATM Card without further delays. Note that the UNITED
STATE CUSTOMS SERVICE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE and send it to you.Kindly
reconfirm

{1} Your full name:................
{2} Full Address:.............
{3} Personal telephone number:.................
{4} Occupation:................
{5} Country:.................
{6} Your international passport or any id card if any??

You have to use this information of our cashier and send the $85 via
Money Gram now.

RECEIVER'S NAME: Joann Knight
ADDRESS: 2020 NW 31st Avenue Ft. Lauderdaale FL USA 33311
QUESTION: IN GOD
ANSWER: WE TRUST
AMOUNT TO SEND: $85
MTCN:......
SENDER'S NAME:.....
SENDER'S ADDRESS:....

Make sure you send the $85 So that your ATM Card will be dispatched
to your preferred address immediately you send the fee to us without
any delay. Be rest assured that your ATM card will be dispatched to
the address you provided as soon as you send the fee for the document.
Secondly, be rest assured that there will be no delay on your ATM card
delivery after you send the money and the clearance document is been
issued in your name by the UNITED STATE CUSTOMS SERVICE AUTHORITY.

Do not reply me without the MTCN of the $85 included.

Awaiting your timely response with the above stated details and the
payment information.

Regards,

Paul Williams

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam