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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: USPS Headquarters <lubegaalfhagil@gmail.com>
Reply-To: usps436@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2022 22:00:40 -0700
Subject: RE: ON OUR ROUTINE MONTHLY INVESTIGATION.

USPS HEADQUARTERS
475 L'ENFANT PLAZA SW
WASHINGTON DC, 20260-0004

ATTENTION SIR/MADAM:

RE: ON OUR ROUTINE MONTHLY INVESTIGATION.


PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS MAIL AS ERROR IF YOU RECEIVE IT IN YOUR SPAM
FOLDER, BECAUSE IT IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NEVER COMMUNICATED
BEFORE.

MY NAMES IS LOUIS DEJOY, THE UNITED STATES POSTMASTER GENERAL. I WANT
TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT, ON MY ROUTINE MONTHLY INVESTIGATION OF
EVERY USPS OFFICE VISITING, I DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED PARCEL
CONTAINING AN ATM CARD WORTH OF ($4,500,000.00 UNITED STATES DOLLARS) IN
ONE OF OUR OFFICES. AND WHEN I MADE INQUIRY OF THE REASON IT HAS NOT
BEEN MAILED FOR THE OWNER, I DISCOVERED THAT THE MAILING INFORMATION
ON THE PARCEL IS NOT COMPLETE, AS THE MAILING INFORMATION WRITTEN ON
THE FORM IS JUST YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, AS THE BENEFICIARY ONLY,
NO MAILING ADDRESS ON IT. THE POSTMASTER IN THAT BRANCH (MR. BERNARD
COLEMAN) FAIL TO MAIL IT AS PROGRAMMED, DUE TO THE INCORRECT
INFORMATION.

I HAVE MADE THE ARRANGEMENT OF MAILING THE ATM CARD PARCEL TO YOU. SO,
I'M SENDING YOU THIS MESSAGE TO GET BACK WITH YOUR CURRENT MAILING
ADDRESS TO ENABLE US TO MAIL IT FOR YOU.

NOW, I WANT TO MAIL THE ATM CARD PARCEL FOR YOU BY MYSELF AS I HAVE
MADE THE ARRANGEMENT OF MAILING IT TO YOU. I DISCUSSED IT WITH THE
WHITE HOUSE AND ALL HOMELAND SECURITIES INCLUDING FBI AND THEY HAVE
ALL GIVEN ME THE VETO ORDER TO MAIL IT FOR YOU IMMEDIATELY, YOU
RECONFIRM YOUR MAILING ADDRESS TO THIS OFFICE IN ORDER FOR US TO MAIL
THE ATM CARD DIRECTLY TO YOU AFTER SENDING THE MAILING FEE WHICH IS
JUST US$50.

NOTE, BELOW IS THE OFFICIALLY INFORMATION NEEDED FOR POSTING OF THE
ATM CARD ASAP.

FULL NAME:_______
FULL MAILING ADDRESS:_______
YOUR CELL PHONE NO:_______
NATIONALITY:_______
ID CARD COPY:_______

WE SHALL MAIL THE ATM CARD ONCE YOU UPDATE US WITH THE ABOVE
INFORMATION AND THE POSTAL STAMP FEE OF $25 ONLY AND FORWARD THE
TRACKING NUMBER FOR YOU TO USE TO MONITOR TO KNOW EXACTLY WHEN IT
SHALL ARRIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.

MY BEST REGARDS,
LOUIS DEJOY
U.S. POSTMASTER GENERAL
USPS HEADQUARTERS
475 L'ENFANT PLAZA SW
WASHINGTON DC, 20260-0004

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