419 scam: "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN"<infor@efcc.org> TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

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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:
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "farida waziri" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "e.f.c.ccrimescommission@live.com" (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.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <E.F.C.Ccrimescommission@live.com>
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2010 14:24:02 +0100
Subject: TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN

ECONOMICAL FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION (EFCC)

Mrs. Farida Waziri

FCT ABUJA-NIGERIA

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

Attention:

I am Mrs. Farida Waziri the chairman of ECONOMICAL FINANCIAL CRIME

COMMISSION (EFCC) EFCC in alliance with economic community of West

African states (ECOWAS) with head Office here in Nigeria. We have been

working towards the eradication exercise of fraudsters and scam

Artists in Western part of Africa. With the help of United States

Government and the United Nations we have been able to tracked down so

many of this scam artist in various parts of West African countries

which includes (NIGERIA, REPUBLIC OF BENIN, TOGO, GHANA CAMEROON AND

SENEGAL LONDON) and they are all in our custody here in Lagos Nigeria.

We have also been able to recover so much money from these scam

artists. The United Nation Anti-crime commission and the United State

Government have ordered that the money recovered from these Scammers

should be shared among 100 Lucky people around the globe. This message

is been directed to you because your email address and your personal

information was found in one of the scam Artists file and computer

hard disk in our custody here in Nigeria. You are therefore to be

compensated with USD850, 000.00 thousand united State Dollars only.

Consequent to the record we have here, this Scam Artists has defrauded

a lot of people of their hard earned currencies, as they claims

Barristers/Bank officials, Lottery Agents who has money for transfer

or want you to be the next of kin of such funds which do not really

exist. Since your name appeared among the beneficiaries who will

receive this compensation offer of USD850,000.00 thousand united State

Dollars only we have arranged your payment through our telegraphic

wire transfer, so get back to us with your banking details.

You should now feel free to contact Mr. Mark Onyeori, via the below

contact details,

Contact person: Mr. Mark Onyeori

E-mail: E.F.C.Ccrimescommission@live.com

Best Regard,

Mrs. Farida Waziri.

(Chairman EFCC)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam