419 scam: "Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)"<office@fbi.gov> Dear Beneficiary,Kindly ready this email and response to it ASAP

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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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "million us dollars" (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)
- "million dollars" (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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "agent_frankleo@yahoo.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2348086158229 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <agent_frankleo@yahoo.cn>
Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2012 02:43:09 +0800
Subject: Dear Beneficiary,Kindly ready this email and response to it ASAP

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Anti-Terrorist and Monitory Crime Division.
J.Edgar.Hoover Building Washington Dc
Customers Service Hours / Monday To Saturday
Office Hours Monday to Saturday:

Dear Beneficiary

This is Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), based WASHINGTON, D.C but right now we are presently in one of West African countries known as Nigeria and we are carrying out a special job that was giving to us by the united nation (UN) and African union (AU),we are working towards the eradication of fraudsters and scam artists in western and southern part of Africa with the help of the united nation government and Africa union.however we know that this message will come to you by surprise, but we want you to believe this message and respond to it as soon as possible for quick release of your funds.

The United Nations (UN) and their African Union (AU) was having series of meetings together for the past 7months with the secretary general of United Nations Organization and present governors of some western and southern parts of Africa, and the meeting ended 5 days ago.

In the meeting the united nation (UN) and their African union (AU) concluded that the Federal Bureau of Anti-Terrorist and Monitory Crime Division Investigation (FBI) should go and track down scam artist/fraudsters in various part of west and south African countries which includes(1)Nigeria,(2) Ghana,(3) Cote D'Ivoire,(4) Burkina Faso,(5) South Africa and(6) Benin Republic, and also to make arrests of any suspected fraudsters/scam artist in the above mentioned African countries. This meeting was held because of many complains that the (UN) have been receiving from individuals in overseas that they have been losing money from scammers/fraudsters in Africa and they should look into it, so that's why we are sent to Africa to track down this fraudsters.

And now with collaboration and help of the present governments of Nigeria,Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, South Africa,Benin Republic and some other African governments, We have successfully tracked down and arrested over 957 fraudsters in both west and south African countries and prosecuted over300 government and banking officials and arrest is still going on.

Secondly we also recover over $43 Billion dollars from both cash in accounts and properties and assets confiscated from the arrested fraudsters and now the United Nation Government and their African Union have ordered the money recovered from the scamers to be shared one one point five million USD among the people we founds their email address and personal data in any of the arrested scam artist/fraudsters desk and your email address is one of the email addresses we found in one of the arrested scam artist file anda computer hard disk,so therefore this email is been directed to you in order to let you know that you have being compensated with $1.5Million Dollars from the united nation and Africa Union as charity compensation funds

however the funds have been converted to swift card payment as instructed to us by the United Nation Organization and their African Union and you are to receive the funds through ATM CARD Payment and Note that everything has been taken care of by the (UN) and your ATM CARD have been approved in your favor and issued with your name and also registered to DHL Courier Service at once for delivery to commence. the Serial Number of your ATM MASTER CARD is 4506-8675-2345-9245 and the Identification Number is 2500,the ATM MASTER CARD only contains your $1.5 million USD nothing less and nothing high. Note you are only allow to be withdrawing maximum value of $5,000 USD per day and you can make withdrawal in any Inter Switch location and ATM Center of your choice in the world.

meanwhile in order to effect the release of your ATM CARD that contains your $1.5 million US Dollars compensation funds you are advised to contact our corresponding Agent. Frank Leo who is the rightful person to deal with in regards of your ATM CARD CENTER with this information below and note that you are to contact him with $250usd for shipping fee of your PACKAGE (ATM CARD) which was forgotten to deduct from your funds when it was at hands to deduct it. thirdly we want you to know that your ATM CARD have been sealed and registered with DHL DELIVERY COMPANY for delivery to commence to your present home address and is not longer in our hands to open it and withdraw money from it so right now the only obligation you have in this transaction is to pay the $250usd which is for shipping fee of your ATM CARD that contains your $1.5 million USD.

Below are Frank Leo contact info.

Email:agent_frankleo@yahoo.cn
Telephone: +234-8086158229.
You are advised to contact him with your information's as stated below for confirmation and security purpose.

Your full Name.............
Your Address...............
Occupation.................
Age........................
Mobile phone number........

Upon the receipt of the fees totaled $250, the delivery of your ATM CARD will commence after when Agent Frank Leo confirms your payment which he will gives you the payment information's that you will use in making the payment via Western Union Money Transfer or Money Gram Transfer for shipping fee of your PACKAGE (ATM CARD), and after that the delivery of your ATM CARD will commence and the ATM CARD will be sent to your designated home address without any further charges or delay ok.

However you don't have any thing to be afraid of or to be worried about now that we the Federal Bureau of Investigation is involved in it,you have to be rest assured that this is 100% risk free; it is our duty to protect and fight crimes.

Yours sincerely,
Miss Donna Story

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535

Take note: Do disregard any email you get from any impostors or offices claiming to be in possession of your ATM CARD, you are only advised to be in contact with Agent Frank Leo for the release of you funds because he is the rightful person to deal with in regards to your funds and forward any emails you get from impostors to this office so we could act upon and commence investigation.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam