419 scam: "WILLIAM B. WELSTEAD MANAGER" <high.commision@live.com> WHAT IS GOING ON AGAIN. WHO IS THIS MR.THOMAS ALLEN TO YOU.

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "mtcn" (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)
- "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)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned 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: "WILLIAM B. WELSTEAD MANAGER" <high.commision@live.com>
Reply-To: customs1975@ws-loei.ac.th
Date: Fri, 25 May 2012 11:57:34 +0100 (BST)
Subject: WHAT IS GOING ON AGAIN. WHO IS THIS MR.THOMAS ALLEN TO YOU.

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Â

CUSTOMS SERVICES USA AUTHORITY COUNTRY
DIRECTOR OFFICE IN
CHARFE.
WILLIAM B. WELSTEAD
DFW INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT
3200
EAST AIRFIELD DFW TX 75261
DATE:FRIDAY. 25 MAY, 2012

ATTENTTION: MY DEAR
FRIEND.

PLEASE THERE IS SOMETHING BEWILDERED WHICH I DO NOT
UNDERSTOOD,(MR.THOMAS ALLEN) YOUR BROTHER IS TRYING TO MAKE US BELIEVE THAT YOU
ARE IN SICK BED AND NOT CAPABLE TO HANDLE THE TRANSACTION. HE EVEN EXPLAINED
THAT YOU ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH HIM THEREBY MAKING HIM THE CURRENT
BENEFICIARY OF THE CONSIGNMENT BOX . YOUR CONSIGNMENT BOX WHICH WAS CONFISCATED
BY THIS US CUSTOM OFFICE IN DALLAS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TX.

HE CLAIMED TO BE YOUR NEXT OF KIN AND HE IS HERE TO
SEND THE NEEDED FEE OF $75 TO BENIN REPUBLIC FOR THE ISSURANCE OF THE ORIGINAL
AWARD OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE DOCUMENTS,THAT IS WHY I AM WRITING THIS MESSAGE TO
YOU TODAY, IN VIEW OF THIS DEVELOPMENT. YOU ARE REQUESTED TO CONFIRM TO THIS
OFFICE THE TRUTH OF THIS MATTER, WHETHER WE RELEASE THE CONSIGNMENT BOX TO YOUR
BROTHER,

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU AND TO VERIFY WHETHER YOU ARE
THE ONE THAT SENT HIM TO RECEIVE THE CONSIGNMENT BOX BEFORE WE CAN ALLOW HIM TO
SEND THE THE $75 FOR THE MAN IN CHARGE OF THE CERTIFICATE OF OWNERSHIP MR.
EJIMOFOR ALBERT. PLEASE, DO CONFIRM TO ME, AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS MAN IS
REALLY FROM YOU SO THAT THIS OFFICE WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING
WRONG PERSON.

BE ADVICE THAT WE ARE
READY TO RELEASE YOUR CONSIGNMENT BOX TO MR.THOMAS ALLEN AND I DON'T THINK YOU
WILL BLAME ANY PERSON IF THIS HAPPEN WHICH YOU HAVE ALREADY PAID SOME MONEY TO
THE GOVERMENT OF BENIN REPUBLIC IN THE PAST, THAT IS ALL I NEED TO TELL YOU NOW.
PLEASE YOU SHOULD RESPOND URGENTLY TO ENABLE US TO KNOW WHETHER YOU WERE THE ONE
THAT SENT HIM BECAUSE THERE IS NUMEROUS SCAM THAT IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD TODAY
WHICH YOU MUST BE AWARE OF.

IF YOU ARE VERY SURE
THAT YOU ARE NOT THE ONE SENT MR.THOMAS ALLEN AS AN INSIDER IN THIS FINANCIAL
INSTITUTION, GO AHEAD NOW TO SEND THE $75 WITH THE PAYMENT INFORMATIONS IN ORDER
TO ENABLE BENIN HIGH COURT OBTAIN THIS NEEDED CERTIFICATES SO THAT YOUR
CONSIGNMENT BOX WILL BE DELIVERED TO YOUR ADDRESS TO AVIOD LOSING YOUR
CONSIGNMENT BOX.

Here is the
information you can use to send the $75.00

RECEIVER NAME:CHRISTOPHER ONYBOR
CITY..............
COTONOU
COUNTRY.........BENIN REPUBLIC
TEST
QUESTION:.............URGENT
ANSWER:..................... URGENT
AMOUNT:$75.00
MTCN
No#.....

YOUR OUR CONSIGNMENT BOX IS HERE FOR LONGTIME NOW DUE
TO YOUR DELAY AFTER THE DIPLOMAT AGENT ARRIVE FROM AFRICAN WITH THE OUR
CONSIGNMENT BOX AND WE ARE TO GIVE YOU 1-2 BUSINESS DAYS? WE NEED IT AT THE
OFFICE WITHIN 1-2 BUSINESS DAYS OR WE WELL RELEASED YOUR CONSIGNMENT BOX
MR.THOMAS ALLEN.

THANK AND GOD BLESS.
BEST REGARDS
WILLIAM B. WELSTEAD
MANAGER
CUSTOMS SERVICES USA AUTHORITY
COUNTRY

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam