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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <customsservicescornpany@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2015 19:00:09 -0300
Subject: FROM UNITED STATE OF AMERICA

CUSTOMS SERVICES AUTHORITY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HARRISBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MDT) PENNSYLVANIA UNITED STATES DIRECTOR OFFICE IN CHARFE. JAMES B WOLFE 514 AIRPORT RD. HARRISBURG,PA,17056,US HELLO; BENEFICIARY THIS IS TO INFORM YOU ABOUT YOUR PACKAGE HERE THAT WAS CONFISCATED BY THIS US CUSTOM OFFICE IN HARRISBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MDT) PENNSYLVANIA UNITED STATES YOUR PACKAGE IS HERE FOR LONGTIME NOW DUE TO YOUR DELAY AFTER THE DIPLOMAT AGENT ARRIVE FROM AFRICAN WITH THE CONSIGNMENT BOX WORTHS OF $2.5MIL USD AND WE ARE TO GIVE YOU 12 HOURS FOR YOU TO GET ALL YOUR CLEARANCE PAPER WORKS OUT, WITH THE AMOUNT OF $55.00 DOLLARS ONLY, WE NEED IT AT THE OFFICE BEFORE THIS HOURS OR THE CONSIGNMENT BOX WILL BE SEIZED AGAIN FOR THE FINAL DIVERSION BY GOVERNMENT OF USA HERE AND YOU WILL LOSE THE CONSIGNMENT BOX, BESIDES NO CONSIGNMENT BOX LEAVES THE INTERNATIONAL AIR PORT WITH OUT OUR NEEDED CUSTOMS CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE WHICH COST ONLY $55.00 BECAUSE SOMETIME AGO NOW THE DIPLOMAT HAVE BEEN EMAILING YOU TO SEND US OUR CUSTOMS CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE FEES BUT YOU KEEP ON DELAYING THEN WE ADVICE AGAIN IF YOU MISS THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY THAT MEANS IT WILL BE VERY HARD FOR YOU TO GET THIS CONSIGNMENT AGAIN , ONCE AGAIN W YOUR CAN DIRECT THE IMMUNITY STAMP TAG CERTIFICATE FEES TO NIGERIA CUSTOM HEAD OFFICE AS THE ORIGIN OF YOUR CONSIGNMENT BOX AND THEY WILL GET IT OBTAIN TO ENABLE THE U.S CUSTOM RELEASE THIS MAN DIPLOMAT AGENT TO YOUR DESTINATION. AND THEY ARE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE ANY PAYMENT TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES AND ALSO NOTED THAT THE REQUIRE PAYMENT OF $55.00 SHALL SENT TO NIGERIA HERE FOR SECURITY REASON SO THAT WE CAN FORWARD TO THE U.S.A CUSTOM SERVICE AS THE ORIGINATOR OF YOUR PACKAGE. RECEIVER NAME... OKONJOR PAUL COUNTRY.....LAGOS NIGERIA TEST QUESTION.....GOD ANSWER.....BLESS AMOUNT:$55.00 MTCN No#..... SENDER....... ADDRESS;....... TELL NO:...... YOUR OUR CONSIGNMENT BOX IS HERE FOR LONGTIME NOW DUE TO YOUR DELAY AFTER THE DIPLOMAT AGENT ARRIVE FROM AFRICAN WITH THE CONSIGNMENT BOX AND WE ARE TO GIVE YOU 1-2 BUSINESS DAYS? WE NEED IT AT THE OFFICE WITHIN 1 BUSINESS DAYS ICE Welcome Ceremony THANK AND GOD BLESS. BEST REGARDS CHARFE. JAMES B WOLFE CUSTOMS SERVICES USA AUTHORITY COUNTRY Harrisburg International Airport

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