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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <geofbi@w.cn>
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:24:07 -0500
Subject: Re: From Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)....

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Anti-Terrorist And Monitory Crime Division.
Federal Bureau Of Investigation.
J.Edgar.Hoover Building Washington Dc
http://www.fbi.gov/libref/directors/directmain.htm

Dear Friend

I am officially sending you this e-mail in order for you to be aware of the good news of your funds, please before I proceed, I will like you to keep away this message from any other person around you, because we have decided to conclude this issue with you alone.

May 14th 2011 a meeting was held with the General Director of the FBI and some other top officials in the United States concerning the online internet scam, in the conclusion of the meeting, I was ordered by the FBI to fly down to South Africa for special investigation concerning the delay of your payment.

After some little investigation, I notice that your funds is still in the Federal Suspense Account" of Absa Bank Group Investment (Absa Bank). Meanwhile those people that you have been dealing with are not from the right office, they are only using you to make money for their own benefit.

You need to understand that my coming down to South Africa is because of your transaction, and I have to accomplish the transfer before returning back to the United States, all the legal documentation for your funds are with me here in South Africa, what i just need from you now is your corporation, you have to seize communication with any other person different from me to avoid been mislead.

Don't allow anyone to deceive you, your funds is $9,500,000.00 (Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only) it was written inside the recording files of your funds.

I have taken your funds documents to the Absa Bank Group Investment (Absa Bank) in South Africa for confirmation and they have been working on the release of your funds, meanwhile, I will need your information like the stated below so that I can know how to update you soon as everything has been settled.


Full Name:
Address:
Tel:

Upon the receipt of this information, I will email you or call you and give you code on how to communicate with me and I will always keep you updated concerning the progress of the transfer of your $9,500,000.00 (Nine Million Five Hundred housand United States Dollars Only) once again you are advised to seize all communication with any other office or person to avoid been mislead, and whenever you receive any message from anyone, kindly forward it to me so that i can make a proper investigation on it.

Looking forward to hear from you as soon as you receive this message

Best Regards,

Agent George C. Venizelos (FBI)
Federal Bureau of Investigation
J. Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW Washington, D.C.
20535-0001, USA

Anti-fraud resources: