419 scam: "Rev. John Koskinen" <officfile38@gmail.com> Greeting from IRS USA

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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- "trunk box" (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)
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "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.
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: "Rev. John Koskinen" <officfile38@gmail.com>
Reply-To: "Rev. John Koskinen" <officefille91@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 9 May 2015 07:42:39 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Greeting from IRS USA

Internal Revenue Service United States Department of the Treasury
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2283 3rd Ave New York, NY 10035, United States

Greeting from IRS USA

We the Internal Revenue Service, believed that you received the
previous message we sent to you, prior to your dealings with the U.S
Custom Authority at (JFK) John F. Kennedy International Airport New
York as regards to your over-due contract payment consignment trunk
box worth $5,500.00.00 (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United
States Dollars only), which was endorsed in your favor and like we
stated earlier, we have dully screened through this project as
stipulated on our protocols of operation and have finally confirmed
that your contract payment is 100% genuine and hitch free from all
face and of which you have the lawful right to claim your fund
without any further delay.

This is to bring to your notice that we have just been informed
through secret source that the U.S Custom Authority at (JFK) John F.
Kennedy International Airport New York are making arrangement to have
your contract fund wired into the Bank account of Mrs. Jane Frederick,
the lady that contacted them, earlier and presented some
documentations evidencing your claim purported to have been signed
personally by you for the release of your contract fund to her, since
you have chose to ignore their messages and refuse to pay the required
$385.00 for Custom Clearance Certificate C.C.C. charges as imposed,
despite the advise we gave to you.

I want to personally assure you once again that you will have every
course to smile and be happy upon conclusion of this project, as we
will continue monitoring all your services with them at all level as
well as your correspondence, until you have received your Metal Trunk
Box accordingly, we are here to protect your interest and that is the
reason why we are doing all we can to make sure all goes well. This is
a huge amount of money which we don't wish for you to lose.

We understand that the imposed fee might be too much for you to pay so
to further make things easier for you, we have discussed with the U.S
Custom Authority at (JFK) John F. Kennedy International Airport New
York pleaded on your behalf for them to give you the grace of sending
$85 out of the charges which will be only $108 Us Dollar for now after
which the Diplomatic Agent deliver your consignment trunk box to you
then once you receive your fund, you can then pay the remaining
balance of $300.00

All we want you to do right now is to go ahead and send the payment with the
name listed below so we can forward it to Benin Republic Customs authority
to help us obtain the Custom Clearance Certificate C.C.C. and=C2=A0 the
diplomat will make the delivery to your
home address tomorrow morning.

Description of Your Consignment box to be delivered:

Type:......CONSIGNMENT TRUNK BOX
Size:...../ 2:1 CM.
Weight:...5.6KG.
Color:.....BLACK BOX
Registration NO: #98952457
Serial #5267843156

Contact us right away and let me know when you will send half of the
charges as we discussed with them to enable them route your fund to
you with immediate effect. This is a life time opportunity and we will
advise you to take advantage of it, before it will become too late for
consideration.

Receiver's Data/information to send the fee through Western Union or Money
Gram.

Receiver's Name::::::::::::VICHER EDU
COUNTRY:::::::::::::::::::BENIN REP
City::::::::::Cotonou
Text Question:::::::::::::: GOD
Text Answer:::::::::::::::: BLESS
Amount::::::::::::::::::::: $108
Sender's Name::::::::::::::
Sender's Address:::::::::::

MTCN#::::::::::::::::::::::

Also be informed that we came to an agreement with the U.S Custom
Authority at (JFK) John F. Kennedy International Airport New York that
you will be sending the fee, latest before the end of tomorrow
so please we will advise that you send the fee right away because if
you fail to do that, then they will have no other choice than to
release your fund to Mrs. Jane Frederick who is ready to work with
them, and am sure it will be a very great loss to you as we will not
be able to help you then, hence your fund will be lost forever.

This is an official notification and we advise you treat it with
utmost urgency, in your best interest.

Happy New Year and God bless you!!!

Yours Sincerely,
IRS Commissioner,
Rev. John Koskinen

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam