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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: "Mr. Williams Townsend" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <williamstownsend1111@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2022 03:35:22 -0700
Subject: This is urgent

Assistant Inspection Director
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles, CA 90045
 
Hello Good Friend
 
This is an official email directed to you for your consideration and it should be treated personal and confidential.
 
However, I am Mr. Williams Townsend, A officer worked at Los Angeles International Airport (CA) I am contacting you about an abandoned diplomatic consignment box and the x-ray scan report revealed an undisclosed sum of money in a metal trunk box which could be approximately 14.5Million dollars. and the box indicates your contact email address and the consignment was abandoned because the Contents of the consignment was not properly declared by the consignee as “MONEY” rather it was declared as a personal effect to avoid interrogation. Meanwhile, The Diplomat who was on transit to your location 3 weeks ago before the coronavirus pandemic crisis that shook the world started. The diplomat who arrived at Los Angeles International Airport (CA) failed to pay for the United States Non-Inspection fee to the US Customs border and protection; he abandoned the consignment and left without notifying the authority anything of his arrival for declaration of clearance until date. And know one knows his whereabouts up till
 
Furthermore, I have taken it upon myself to contact you personally about this abandoned box so that we can transact this as a deal and share the total money 70% for you and 30% for me. My main purpose of contacting you. The U.S. Customs Border and Protection are on clearance for some abandoned beneficiaries consignment which will be listed among the list of consignment boxes that will be confiscated and transferred to the US Treasury storage facility within some days. I want both of us to transact this as a deal. All I want is your trust as the arrangement for the box to be delivered to you which can be concluded within 1 to 2 days after confirmation is made and upon your acceptance and willingness to cooperate.
 
I will appreciate it if we can keep this deal confidential. Please get back to me via this email for further directives: You can not call me on my telephone number, for now, to avoid exposing me more. Send your response to my private email. ( williamstownsend1111@gmail.com )
 
Thank you.
 
Mr. Williams Townsend

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