419 scam: "Mr. Williams Hanks"<info@lee.org> U.S Internal Revenue Service Department

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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:

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:
- "trunk box" (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)
- "consignment " (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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Williams Hanks" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <infor214@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2023 23:24:14 +0300
Subject: U.S Internal Revenue Service Department

U.S Internal Revenue Service Department
Internal Revenue Service United States Department of the Treasury
Accessibility Skip to Top Navigation
750 3rd Avenue 11th Floor New York, NY 10017 United States.
Contact us at;..(323)301-3416
Text SMS only due to over busy in the office.

Greetings.

We the Internal Revenue Service, believed that you received the
previous message we sent to you, prior to your dealings with the U.S Custom Authority at Atlanta Georgia International Airport as regards to your over-due contract payment consignment trunk box worth $4.7m (Four Million Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars only), which was endorsed in your favor and like we stated earlier, we have dully screened through this project as stipulated on our protocols of operation and have finally confirmed that your contract payment is 100% genuine and hitch free from all facet and of which you have the lawful right to claim your fund without any further delay.

Your are to re-confirm the following:
Name:
Current Home Address:
Phone:
Copy of I.D:

Description of Your Consignment box to be delivered:

Type:......CONSIGNMENT TRUNK BOX
Size:....../ 2:1 CM.
Weight:...5.6KG.
Colour:.....SILVER BOX
Registration NO: #98952457
Serial #1267843156
Pin number…*****

Yours Sincerely,
IRS Commissioner,
Mr. Williams Hanks

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam