419 scam: "US CONSULATE GENERAL OFFICE NIGERIA"<payunit@mail2usa.com> PAYMENT NOW THROUGH US CONSULATE OFFICE IN LAGOS, NIGERIA.

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (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.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- disbursementunit@usa.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "US CONSULATE GENERAL OFFICE NIGERIA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <disbursementunit@usa.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:51:59 -0000
Subject: PAYMENT NOW THROUGH US CONSULATE OFFICE IN LAGOS, NIGERIA.

U.S. Consulate General

Abuja Office
U.S. Embassy Abuja Office
Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive
Central District Area, Abuja.

Lagos Office
U.S. Consulate General Lagos Office
2 Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria
Island, Nigeria.

Dear Contract/Inheritance Beneficiaries,

This is to inform all foreign contractors/inheritance beneficiary that the American Embassy and High Commission in Nigeria has worn a law suite instituted against the Central Bank of Nigeria and other constituted payment agency at the Federal High Court Abuja. This suite with number: FHC/ABJ/00234/09 has been in court for the past 10 months and on Monday the 22nd of March 2010 the Federal High Court Abuja gave their ruling and granted the prayer of the American Embassy by instructing that the Central Bank of Nigeria and other constituted payment agency should handover with immediate effect the total and complete funds belonging to foreign clients especially those belonging to American citizen to the American Embassy and High Commission for disbursement to their citizen and beyond.

We have been given names and email contacts of all clients whose funds is still outstanding for payment and we believe that if you receive this notice then your name and email contact is with us and we expect that you confirm your full details.

Know also that we have a record handed over to us by the Central Bank of Nigeria and if the information you gave to use is in contras with it, it might cause a delay or jeopardise the last opportunity of you getting paid.

NAME:

ADDRESS:

TELEPHONE:

AMOUNT OWED:

REASON FOR PAYMENT:

WHAT YEAR DID YOUR TRANSACTION COMMENCED?

WHO ARE YOU CURRENTLY CONSULTING AS REGARD TO YOUR PAYMENT:

HOW MUCH HAVE YOU SPENT SO FAR:

The Central Bank of Nigeria has at today wired into our account the sum of US$1.2BILLION (ONE BILLION TWO HUNDRED MILLION UNITED STATES OF AMERICAN DOLLARS) as instructed by the Federal High Court Abuja and we will commence disbursement to all our clients on first come first serve basis.

Your are therefore required to contact us with the requested information via disbursementunit@usa.com for immediate payment.

Yours sincerely

Donna M. Blair
Consul General, US Consulate General

Lagos, Nigeria

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The American Citizen Services (ACS) section of the Consular Section of the U.S. Mission to Nigeria provides a wide range of information and assistance to U.S. citizens. American Citizens Services are offered at the Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate in Lagos.

Any schedule of Fees is based on the Code of Federal Regulations - i.e. Title 22, Part 22, Sections 22.1 through 22.7. Bracketed entries of codes and abbreviations are added to facilitate consular staff reference and the recording of consular services.

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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam