419 scam: "US Ambassador to Nigeria"<info@state.gov> Re: Fund Delivery via "Diplomatic Consignment"

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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "diplomatic immunity"
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. )
- "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)
- "million dollars" (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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "diplomatic immunity" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist 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.

Fraud email example:

From: "US Ambassador to Nigeria" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <us.ambassador.ng.gov@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 14:00:59 -0000
Subject: Re: Fund Delivery via "Diplomatic Consignment"

United States Consulate General Lagos
2 Walter Carrington Crescent
Victoria Island, Lagos
Nigeria.
Date: March/24th/2014

Attn: Beneficiary

My name is James F. Entwistle. I was sworn in as the Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Nigeria on October 28, 2013. Prior to my appointment as the Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Nigeria on October 28 2013, I served as U.S. Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2010-2013. As a career member of the Senior Foreign Service (Minister Counselor) I served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand from July 2007 until June 2010. From 2003-2006, I served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka with simultaneous accreditation to Maldives. I joined the Foreign Service in January, 1981 and I served in Yaounde, Douala and Niamey from 1981-1986. From 1986-1990 I was a watch officer in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research and the desk officer for Kenya and Uganda in the Bureau of African Affairs. From 1991-1994, I was appointed to head the Refugee Assistance Unit at Embassy Bangkok with extensive travel to Cambodia.

http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/biography.html

However, acting in my capacity as the US Ambassador to Nigeria, I have resolved with the Nigeria's Presidency to deliver the sum of $6,500,000 Million Dollars being a partial payment of your contract/inheritance fund. I shall be coming to your country for an official meeting with your President by this week and I will be bringing your consignment containing the fund which has been packaged and sealed in your favor. But this time I will not go through customs scrutiny because as a US Ambassador to Nigeria, I am a US government agent and a career member of the senior Foreign Service. Hence, I have the diplomatic immunity that will allow me a free-passage through the customs. I am scheduled to have a meeting with your President by this week.

Therefore, you are required to send me your direct cellphone number and the address where you want me to bring the consignment package. You have really paid so much in pursuit of this inheritance fund as I was made to understand and that is why I have personally intervened. Hence, you are a very lucky person because I am personally bringing it myself and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

However, your package containing the ($6.5 million dollars) must be registered as a "diplomatic package" to enable me defeat all odds, and the cost of registering the package as a "diplomatic package" is $135.00 dollars. Hence, the fee must be paid within 24 hours upon your receipt of this notification via western union, so that all neccessary arrangement can be made ahead of time.

The fee should me sent directly to the "cargo registration officer" with the below information:

Recipient's Name: ALABI ADEDAYO
Address: 2, Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island Lagos Nigeria
Test question: Pet
Answer: Cat
Amount: $135 Dollar

Please be noted that my trip will be by this week 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 consignment package. I will be expecting to receive the MTCN # for the $135.00 dollars asap.

Treat as urgent.

Respectfully yours,

James F. Entwistle
U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam