419 scam: Office Unit <departmentcustomer118@yahoo.com.hk> The Consignment Beneficiary,

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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:

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. )
- "are expected 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. )
- "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)
- "trunk box" (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)
- "trunk boxes" (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)
- "my direct telephone number" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "a diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist 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.
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.
- n_ronaldsmith@yahoo.com.ph (Yahoo, Philippines, Philippines; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: Office Unit <departmentcustomer118@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2014 06:25:07 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: The Consignment Beneficiary,

The Consignment Beneficiary,Â I am Mr. Ronald Smith, from the Office of Inspection Unit/United Nations Agency in MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FLORIDA USA. During my recent routine check at the Airport Storage/vault on withheld packages, I discovered an abandoned shipment that belongs to you from a Diplomat from Africa, when scanned it in our airport scanning machine it revealed an undisclosed sum of money in two Metal Trunk Boxes weighing approximately 25kg each and some people are coming after this consignment to clam it in your name as your representatives.Â The consignment was abandoned because the Contents was not properly declared by the consignee as â€œMONEYâ€ rather it was declared as personal effect to avoid interrogation and also the inability of the diplomat to pay for the Consignment Irrevocable Airport Release Permit Sum of $350, when we scanned the consignment and discovered large sum of Million of US Dollars we withheld the consignment and requested for Consignment Irrevocable Airport Release Permit from the country of origin Nigeria, the diplomat could not wait and he returned back to where he came from and we refused to return back the consignment where it came from since we have already received it here in USA.Â On my assumption, each of the boxes will contain more than US$2 Million to US$2.5 Million each and the consignment is still left in our Storage House here at the Capital Region International Airport California till date. The details of the consignment including your name, your email address and the official document from the United Nations office in Geneva are tagged on the Metal Trunk boxes in your favor. However, to enable me confirm if you are the actual recipient of this consignment, I will advise you to provide your current Phone Number and Full Address, to enable me cross check if it corresponds with the address on the official documents including the Name of the nearest Airport around your city.Â Please note that this consignment is supposed to have been returned to the United States Treasury Department as unclaimed delivery due to the delays in concluding the clearance processes and the unpaid sum of $350 to the Consignment country of origin Nigeria for there Government income revenue charges which can not be weaved or ignore by US Government hence, you must pay the $350 to Nigeria to enable them grant us Consignment Irrevocable Airport Release Permit to release your abandone consignment and deliver it to you without any further charges. The US Government is expecting you to pay the above charge to this very state as you receive this mail today so that your consignment will not be confiscated and put into US Treasure as an unclaimed consignment.Â So in order words, I will advise you to send the required details to me for quick processing and response. Once I receive your information including the receipt of the payment Sum of $350 for the Consignment Irrevocable Airport Release Permit Charges, I can get everything concluded within 3-6 hours upon your acceptance and proceed to your address for delivery.Â Note that you are expected to pay only $350 to the Â Consignment Irrevocable Airport Release Permit Charges and you are to pay it to below information Â through western union or money gram once you receive this mail:Â Receiver's Name: ==== Gabriel De La HozLocation: ======= Hollywood, FL, USAText Question: ======= In God?Answer: ======= We TrustAmount: ======= $350M.T.C.N:.?????????Â Send the above required amount to the above stated information for the obtaining of your Consignment Irrevocable Airport Release Permit and forward the payment information as as you make the payment and you can come over to our airport address 2100 NW 42nd Ave, Miami, FL 33126, United States, to pick up your consignment by yourself or we can deliver it to your designated delivering address pending on your choice.Â Below is my direct telephone number but I am a Busy Man so if you are unable to reach me know that I am on inspection just email me or give me SMS Txt massage and i will respond when i am free okÂ
Mr.Ronald SmithTel (415843-1440)Private EmailÂ (n_ronaldsmith@yahoo.com.ph)Office of Inspection Unit2100 NW 42nd Ave, Miami, FL 33126, United States

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam