419 scam: "USCUSTOM OFFICIALS"<<>> ATTN Dear Beneficiary Your so Lucky,

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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:
- "00,000.00" (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.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- uscustomhouse02@usa.com (Outblaze.com, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "USCUSTOM OFFICIALS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <uscustomhouse01@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2023 02:20:26 -0700
Subject: ATTN Dear Beneficiary Your so Lucky,

Attention:
This office is writing to you to let you know that we have successfully
bring
all foreign transaction down here because of the complains and reports
we are
receiving that our dear citizens are being intimidating, cheating and
depriving
their legal right to their inherited, winning and contract funds from
foreign
country.
Therefore in proving American's greatness, all matter regarding local
and
international transactions from African, Europe, Asia etc has be
released and a
total funds of $58,700,000.00 United States Dollars is in your name
according
to the gathered files so far and you are to contact us today for the
release
and the claim of the funds if you are still interested to receive your
funds as
we have done our best to secure all the funds that was unable to
transfer from
foreign agents.
N:B After this clearing house, all unclaimed funds goes to Federal
treasury as
unclaimed funds as the beneficiary will be assumed dead.

Thanks,
Mr. BRIAN S. HASTINGS
Email:(Uscustomhouse02@usa.com)
+1(202)753-6227)text message only

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam