419 scam: "U.S. AMBASSADOR"<usambassador.copier-ftpuser@yahoo.es> ATTENTION: FUND BENEFICIARY,

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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:
- "western union" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "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)
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- "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.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2347084512118 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "U.S. AMBASSADOR" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <usambassadortonigeria243@yahoo.es>
Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:58:29 +0100
Subject: ATTENTION: FUND BENEFICIARY,

US AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
Terence P. McCulley
11 GARKI ROAD ABUJA
ABUJA, NIGERIA.

ATTENTION: FUND BENEFICIARY,

THIS MESSAGE IS TO INFORM YOU THAT I SHALL BE COMING TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR AN OFFICIAL MEETING ON MONDAY AND I WILL BE BRINGING YOUR FUNDS OF $4.5M ALONG WITH ME AS PART OF YOUR COMPENSATION FUND AS APPROVED BY THE UNITED NATIONS, WORLD BANK GROUPS & PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA FOR THOSE AFFECTED IN SCAMS ACTIVITIES IN NIGERIA BUT THIS TIME I WILL NOT GO THROUGH CUSTOMS BECAUSE AS AN AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA, I AM A US GOVERNMENT AGENT AND I HAVE THE VETO POWER TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS. AS SOON AS I AM THROUGH WITH THE MEETING I SHALL THEN PROCEED TO YOUR ADDRESS. (SEND YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER AND THE ADDRESS WHERE YOU WANT ME TO BRING THE PACKAGE).

I NOTICED THAT YOU HAVE REALLY PAID SO MUCH IN THIS FUND PAYMENT DELIVERY THAT MAKES ME TO STOOD UP AT LEAST FOR ONCE TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF MY FELLOW BEING AND TO ADVICE YOU ON HOW BEST TO STOP LISTENING TO WHATEVER YOU SEE OR HEAR FROM THE INTERNET BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE WHOLE THING HAPPENING ALL OVER THE WORLD TODAY IS BEEN MANIPULATED THROUGH THE INTERNET AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY YOU TO MIND THE WAY YOU DEAL WITH PEOPLE AFTER NOW, IN FACT YOU ARE A VERY LUCKY PERSON BECAUSE I SHALL BE BRINGING IT MYSELF AND THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO ABOUT IT OR TRY TO STOP ME BECAUSE I CAN ACCESS EVERY BORDER WITH MY POSITION IN THE WORLD..

YOUR PACKAGE ($4.5M) MUST BE REGISTERED AS AN AMBASSADORIAL PACKAGE FOR ME TO DEFEAT ALL ODDS AND THE COST OF REGISTERING IT IS $135 THE FEE MUST BE PAID IN THE NEXT 50 HOURS VIA MONEY GRAM SO THAT ALL NECESSARY ARRANGEMENT CAN BE MADE BEFORE TIME WILL BE AGAINST US.SEND THE FEE VIA MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER OR WESTERN UNION TO MY OFFICER

RECEIVER'S NAME: MR. ROBERT EKPEMANDU
ADDRESS: LAGOS, NIGERIA
TEXT QUESTION: WHAT?
ANSWER: YES
AMOUNT: $135.

AS SOON AS YOU SEND THE FEE MAKE SURE YOU SEND ME THE PAYMENT TO MY EMAIL ADDRESS BECAUSE I WILL WANT YOU TO GET YOUR FUND WHICH I WILL PACKAGE IN TWO CONSIGNMENT BOXES TO BE HANDED OVER TO YOU FACE TO FACE BY ME BUT ENDEAVOR TO BE THERE TO MEET ME ON TIME.

MY FLIGHT IS MONDAY AND I EXPECT YOU TO COMPLY BEFORE THEN SO THAT THE DELIVERY CAN BE COMPLETED. IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY, THEN IT WILL NOT BE MY FAULT IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE YOUR PACKAGE.

CALL ME ON THIS NUMBER: +234-708-451-2118.

Congratulations!!!
Respectfully yours,
Terence P. McCulley
US Ambassador to Nigeria.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam