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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Donald Hou Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <h.hou72@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2017 23:44:23 +0100
Subject: Classified Information/Unclaimed Assets!!!

Donald Hou Williams
INSPECTION UNIT,City of Atlanta.
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
 
 
Attention: 
 
I am Donald Hou Williams, Director Inspection Unit with United Nations Inspection Agency in Harts field International Airport Atlanta Georgia.
 
During our investigation, I discovered an abandoned shipment from a Diplomat from United Kingdom, under a ship forwarder was transferred from JF Kennedy Airport to our facility here in Atlanta and when scanned, it revealed an undisclosed sum of money in a Metal Trunk Box
 
weighing approximately 110kg each.
 
The consignment was abandoned because the Content was not properly declared by the consignee as money, rather it was declared as personal effect to avoid diversion by the Shipping Agents also the Diplomat inability to pay for Non-Inspection Fees.
 
On my assumption, each of the boxes will contain more than $7M to $10M each and the consignment is still left in storage house till today through a registered shipping Company, Courier Dispatch ServiceLimited.
 
The Consignment they are two metal box with weight of about 110kg each (Internal dimension:  W61 x H156 x D73 (cm). Effective capacity: 680 L.)Approximately.
 
The details of the consignment including your name the official document from United Nation office in London are tagged on the Metal Trunk box.Provide your Phone Number full address, name of nearest Airport around and other details or disregard. You can send the required
 
details to me for onward delivery.
 
All communication must be held extremely confidential. I can get everything concluded within 3-6 hours upon your acceptance and proceed to your address for delivery. But I must get assurance from you
concerning my 18% before I will proceed.
 
I want us to transact this business and share the money, since the shippers have abandoned it and ran away. We will pay for the Non-inspection fee and arrange for the boxes to be moved out of this Airport to your address, once we are through I will deploy the services of a
 
secured shipping Company geared to provide the security it needs to your doorstep. Or I can bring it by myself to avoid any misconducts. But you have to assure me of my 18% before proceeding.
 
 
Donald Hou Williams
INSPECTION OFFICER
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport

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