419 scam: "Headquarters"<hon47240@gmail.com> U.S. Customs and Border Protection

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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:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "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 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 permit" (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. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Headquarters" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <officefiledepartment513@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2017 03:10:31 -0800
Subject: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

C.B.P Headquarters*
Office of Public Affairs
1300 Pennsylvania Ave, N. W

I am writing you in regards of your Package with Diplomat Mr. CARTER GOOD LUCK A Diplomats from Global Agent Service who is in our custody now waiting to receive the Customs Clearance permit from the Custom Department so that he can proceed to your address, please be informed that you don't need to contact anyone regarding your box because its right here at the airport, you will be giving a grace period of 96 Hours more and after this 4days you did not provide the Customs Clearance permit of your Package the Federal Government will confiscate it and discover the content and you will be persecuted for money laundering because when scanned it indicates and confirmed to be filled with valuable monetary instrument worth millions of dollars

In attached to this email contain the content of the box and my valid ID, the box contain, money, gold, laptop, iPhones etc, I want to inform you that we can not send you any official document that bears your name and our seal at this present time because you haven’t present the Customs Clearance permit which could have bear your name and our seal. That was the reason why Mr. CARTER GOOD LUCK has been in our custody until the Said Papers are presented.

The only document in possession of Mr. CARTER GOOD LUCK was the Non Inspection Clearance Certificate from Benin Republic customs bearing only your name and their seal. Be rest assured that you need to comply with us to receive your Customs Clearance permit in other for your package to be released, we will make all necessary official documents available to you immediately your package is release.

Yours Faithfully,

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Richard Gil Kerlikowske
+1-(810) 936 4891

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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam