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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "ROBERT SWAN MUELLER" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fbidept9111@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:44:02 -0700
Subject: (FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION) DID YOU AUTRHORISE HER

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION(FBI.WASHINGTON DC).
WASHINGTON D.C ROOM,7367
J. EDGAR HOOVER FBI BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,
NW WASHINGTON, DC 20535,
RE: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION SEEKING TO WIRETAP THE INTERNET.

We believe this notification meets you in a very good present state of mind and health. We the Federal bureau of investigation (FBI) Washington, DC in conjunction with some other relevant Investigation Agencies here in the United states of America have recently been informed through our Global intelligence monitoring network that you presently still have an open transaction with the First Bank of Nigeria worth Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3.5Million).
We are also informed by the Bank that they have been receiving several mails from a woman named Mrs. Joan C Bailey in respect of your fund with the Bank worth ($3.5 million).She wrote to them and also provide several document signed by you that you have authorized her to receive your fund on your behalf. She has also provide to them her Banking Information’s for them to make the transfer of your fund worth $3.5million into her Bank Account .But before the bank proceed with the transfer of fund, They alerted us to inform you about the update and to hear from you if you have authorized her to receive the fund on your behalf.

Please note that this is a very urgent and serious mater so we will like you to get back to us now so that we can know the next step to take before it will be too late.

Best Regards,
ROBERT SWAN MUELLER III
WASHINGTON D.C ROOM,7367
J. EDGAR HOOVER FBI BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,
NW WASHINGTON, DC 20535.
info

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