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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Phillip Kohl" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <philipkohl551@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2015 22:48:45 +0100
Subject: IN REGARDS TO YOUR ABANDONED CONSIGNMENT SHIPMENT

>From Phillip Lawrence Kohl
Los Angeles International Airport
Address: No. 1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045, United States
 
Attention,
I am Phillip Kohl, the head of Cargo Inspections, Los Angeles International Airport. During a recent official routine inspection I discovered an abandoned consignment shipment by a diplomat with your email address tagged on it, when I personally scanned it, it revealed huge sum of money in a Metallic Trunk Box weighing approximately 65kg. On my assumption, the box contains approximately close to $7 Million.
   
On further investigation, I discovered that the consignment was abandoned due to the wrong declaration of the content, also the Diplomat inability to pay for the Non-Inspection Fees, because he did not know the content of the box. I will arrange for the box to be moved out of this Airport to your address once we are through I will deploy the services of a secured shipping Company geared to provide the security it needs to your doorstep.
   
Now I want to strike a deal with you, in your acceptance I will proceed on this. I have the capacity to secure the release of your consignment with my status as a United Nations\Inspection Agent. You will give me 20% of the amount in the consignment and you take the remaining 80%. Consequently when it is cleared.
   
If you are not in agreement with this proposal, please disregard it. But if you can meet with my condition, then we have a deal. I can get everything concluded within 24 to 48 hours and proceed to your address for delivery upon your acceptance. Write me on this email:  philipkohl551@gmail.com  if you accept to work with me. Send me your cell phone number and your address and your full name.
 
You can call or sms me on this number (724) 213-8510  but if you call and i could not be reached, note that I am on the field for inspection, so please leave a message with your information so that I can call you back when i am back in the office.
 
Best Regards,
Phillip Kohl

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