419 scam: "Mr. Charles Holliday"<marcuswillson0@gmail.com> U.S. Department of Homeland Security

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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:

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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "diplomatic agent" ("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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Charles Holliday" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <marcuswillson02@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2015 12:07:54 -0700
Subject: U.S. Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Privacy Office
Director, Disclosure & FOIA
245 Murray Drive SW, Building 410
STOP-655
Washington, DC 20528-0655
FOIA Officer: Catherine M. Papoi, J.D., CIPP/G
FOIA Requester Service Center Contact: Vania T. Lockett, CIPP/G

Attn ,Beneficairy

We hereby Inform you, that we had received United Nation
Diplomatic Agent with a full loaded ATM CARD worth of
$20.5Million USD. This Agent Declared that you are the rightful owner
of the said amount found in the ATM CARD.

I the Chief home land security officer Charles Holliday in Dc, and
JAMES .B COMEY (III)
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FBI
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FBI.WASHINGTON DC.

We both had investigated the legal documents found from the young man which stated
your name as the receiver’s owner of the said ATM CARD
The First Page Documents we found from the Agent indicated that the
funds inside the ATM CARD was sent from U.S Ambassador Matthew Barzun
in United Kingdom, with the Advice of Pastor
Mike
William, from
Ohio City in America.

Then the second Page of the Documents Stated that you inherited this
funds from one Late Rev Sister . Mary Willy an America who died along with
his family by Auto Crash in 2003 June.

We have indeed examined all the due process of this transaction and we
found nothing against it in all financial crime statues. We have also
take a photo of the ATM CARD which is below view it for your own
knowledge, and get back to us with the Change Of Ownership Legal
documents of this claim as to enable us allow your delivery Agent
arrive your Home.

If you don’t have this document get back to us we shell
contact the
Eco crime of United Kingdom By ourselves so that we can request that from
them.
Thanks
and get back to us.
>From The Desk of
Mr. Charles Holliday

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam