419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:
- "clearance document" (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. )
- "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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
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.
- americafirstcredituniongovt@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: John Lund <antonino.donato.isob@alice.it>
Reply-To: americafirstcredituniongovt@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2016 23:46:55 +0100 (CET)
Subject: America First Credit Union URGENT NOTICE ON YOUR APPROVED FUND
TRANSFER.

America First Credit Union
URGENT NOTICE ON YOUR APPROVED FUND TRANSFER.

>From CEO: John Lund
Director, Telex Remittance Department
America First Credit Union
Office Address: 1415 N Loop W 110, Houston,
Texas, United States of America.
Tel: 262-447-0053

Monday-Friday
8 a.m.-9 p.m. South-Central Daylight Time(EDT)
Saturday and Sunday
8 a.m.-4 p.m. South-Central Daylight Time(EDT)

Dear Valued Customer,

I am personally sending you this message considering the urgency it deserves
following our resolve to conclude the transfer/remittance of your funds this
month. We also acknowledge the receipt of instructions received from Africa
regarding the transfer of ($10,700,000.00 Ten Million Seven Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars Only) into your given Bank account.

We will proceed to transfer the funds and send you our Smooth Telex Wire
Transfer Slip and other remittance documents as soon as the payment of the
United States Insurance Policy fee is confirmed by the United States Department
of the Treasury headed by the Treasurer, Mrs. Rosa Gumaotao Rios.
There are no restrictions in your funds transfer as the funds have been
certified clean and free from terrorist funding. While transferring your funds,
we will attach all the clearance documents so that there will not be any
stoppage or delay. Your funds have not been transferred yet because there is no
USIP receipt of payment in your payment file here.

The United States Insurance Policy fee is mandatory for any transfer of funds
here in the USA involving amounts above $1,000,000.00 (one million USD). The
amount to be transferred into your account is $10.7 Million and is far above $1
Million. This is why the $181 USIP fee is required and the fee cannot be
deducted from source in accordance with section 3 subsection 2 (a) of the Huge
Funds Transfer Regulation Act (HFTRA) of 2001 promulgated by law after the
terrorist attack on our dear country. You are to send the fee to the USIP
liaison office in Africa where your transaction originated from therefore, you
should get back to me so that I can provide you the information you need to
send the money to them for me to commence your remittance and send you the
Transfer Sheet to confirm the remittance with your Bank.

We are waiting to hear from you so that I can arrange and transfer your funds
immediately and send you all the transfer papers.

Thanks for Banking with the America First Credit Union, while we look forward
to serving you better.

CEO: John Lund
Director, Telex Remittance Department
America First Credit Union
Tel: 262-447-0053
E-mails: (americafirstcredituniongovt@gmail.com)

America First Credit Union, N.A. Member FDIC.
Â© 2016 America First Credit Union. All rights a
AR72768/DD6A66

********************************************************************************************************
DISCLAIMER NOTICE: Information contained in this e-mail is confidential and
intended for the addresses only. Any dissemination, distribution, copying or
use of this communication without prior permission from the address is strictly
prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient of this communication,
please delete it permanently without copying, disclosing or otherwise using its
contents. This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.
********************************************************************************************************

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam