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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: "MR.WILLIAM C. MCFADDEN" <survey@yakult.co.kr>
Reply-To: <portofhoustontexas@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2017 07:40:58 -0700
Subject: DEAR EMAIL OWNER: YOUR PACKAGE DELIVERY.

FREIGHT CORDINATION AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT
HOUSTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES.
IATA: IAH, ICAO: KIAH.
 
Hello Good Friend,
 
I have confidential information for you but first, I must seek your discretion because if something goes wrong i might be dishonorably discharged from my duty post as the Freight Coordinator without gratuities after manning this post for 18 years. I need to be sure that i can trust you completely before revealing this secret. I am William C. McFadden, Personal assistant to the Freight Coordinator of the airport. Last Week Tuesday, during my routine check at the Airport Storage Vault, I discovered a forgotten Luggage belonging to a Foreigner.
 
After scanning the luggage, it revealed an undisclosed sum of money in an old silver colored Metal rusty metal container carrying a tag code (QF/DELTA-45), weighing about 1,748.3 pounds. The Luggage was intentionally deserted because the Contents of the Luggage were not properly declared by the Foreigner just to conceal its actual contents. I suspected that the container was declared as personal effect just to avoid interrogation from the U.S Customs and Border protection authorities. My 2nd guess is that maybe the Foreigner was unable to pay for the U.S Custom Duty tariff of $5000 USD imposed by the United States Customs that’s why the Luggage was left here in our Storage Vault for good. The straight bill of lading presented by the aviation company didn't specify the beneficiary to whom the metal container was to be delivered but indicated that the consignee' was a foreigner who arrived from London.
 
During the Airport's Private search for the owner of the Luggage, your name and e-mail was discovered in the Straight Bill of Laden provided by the cargo flight company. However, In order to ensure a higher security standard required by the airport authorities I have intentionally left out the Some details of the Container away from the knowledge of the airport's Administrative operatives so that the Luggage will not be investigated by our security experts and should remain un-noticed until we claim the Luggage. Although Airport Storage Vault/legislation demands that I notify the fiscal authorities after a statutory time period when luggage of this type is called in by the Airport regulatory bodies if nobody applies to claim the package. I urge you to come forward since I can provide you with the details needed for you to claim the Luggage so that I can be gratified by you in the ratio of 70% for you and 30% for me since the Luggage has not yet been returned to the United States Trea
 
Thank you.
 
 
BEST REGARDS:
MR.WILLIAM C. MCFADDEN
FREIGHT CORDINATOR.
OFFICIAL EMAIL: info@fly2houston.us
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The information contained in this message is confidential and may be legally privileged. The message is intended solely for the addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, or reproduction is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by return e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message.
 

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