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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. Williams Townsend" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <williamstownsend1111@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2022 14:04:35 -0700
Subject: This is very urgent

Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles, CA 90045
 
Dear Friend,
 
First and foremost, This is an official email directed to you for your consideration and it should be treated as personal and confidential.
 
However, I am sorry for reaching out to you by email in such a medium, I am Mr. Williams Townsend, A officer working at Los Angeles International Airport (CA) I am contacting you about an abandoned diplomatic consignment box, and the x-ray scan report revealed an undisclosed sum of money in a metal trunk box which could be approximately 14.5Million dollars. and the box indicates your contact email address. The consignment was abandoned because the Contents of the consignment were not properly declared by the consignee as “MONEY” rather it was declared as a personal effect to avoid interrogation. Meanwhile, The Diplomat who was in transit to your location 3 weeks ago before the coronavirus pandemic crisis that shook the world started. The diplomat was on transit at Los Angeles International Airport (CA) but he failed to pay the United States Non-Inspection Clearance fee to the US Customs border and protection; he abandoned your consignment box and left without notifying the authority anything of his arrival f
 
Furthermore, I have taken it upon myself to contact you personally about this abandoned box so that we can transact this as a deal and share the total money 70% for you and 30% for me. My main purpose for contacting you. The U.S. Customs Border and Protection are on clearance for some abandoned beneficiaries consignment which will be listed among the list of consignment boxes that will be confiscated and transferred to the US Treasury storage facility at the end of the year for profit. I want both of us to transact this as a deal. All I want is your trust as the arrangement for the box to be delivered to you which can be concluded within 2 to 3 working days after confirmation is made and upon your acceptance and willingness to cooperate in this transaction
 
I will appreciate it if we can keep this deal confidential. Please get back to me via this email (  williamstownsend1111@gmail.com  ) for further directives: You can not call me on my telephone number, for now, to avoid any questions from anyone.
 
However, I guarantee you that you will never regret doing this transaction with me because this transaction is 100% free of risk. and, do not entertain any worries as the required arrangements have been planned by me for the completion of this transaction to come to light So, what I need from you now in your reply email are:
 
(1) Your exact full name  or if you have made a change of name (First Name, Middle Name, and Last name)
(2) Your current residential address where your consignment box will be delivered to
(3) Your telephone numbers
 
I need to Re-harmonize them with my records. PLEASE SEND THEM IMMEDIATELY
YOU GET THIS EMAIL.
 
I wait for your swift response.
 
Thank you, And remain blessed.
 
Mr. Williams Townsend

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