419 scam: "FBI"<office@vgh.de> BANK DRAFT

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
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.
- consulateoffice@superposta.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "FBI" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <consulateoffice@superposta.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:19:39 +0100
Subject: BANK DRAFT

FBI HEADQUARTERS

935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535-0001

THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE ARRESTED AND INTERCEPTED A BANK DRAFT (OF VALUE $2.5M USD) WHICH IS BEING DIVERTED BY TWO IMPOSTERS TO NEPAL. OUR INVESTIGATION TEAM WAS ABLE TO TRACE THE ORIGIN AND YOU HAVE BEEN NAMED THE BENEFICIARY OF THE BANK DRAFT. THE IMPOSTERS CONFESSED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR INABILITY TO RECEIVE YOUR ENTITLEMENT.

YOU ARE ADVISED TO STOP COMMUNICATING WITH ANYONE CLAIMING TO BE IN POSSESSION OF YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS AND OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH OUR AGENT WHO IS MANDATED TO PROCESS YOUR FUNDS RELEASE. WE HAVE ASSIGNED AGENT SANDRA RAMDASS IN OUR LEGAL ATTACHÉ OFFICE IN NIGERIA TO PROCESS YOUR FUNDS RELEASE PAPERS AS SOON AS YOU HAVE OPENED COMMUNICATION WITH HER.

HER CONTACT EMAIL IS consulateoffice@superposta.com , SEND HER THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION FOR CLARIFICATION AND DUE PROCESSING.

1. FULL NAMES AND SHIPPING ADDRESS

2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS

ONCE YOU HAVE MADE CONTACT, KEEP US POSTED WITH YOUR CORRESPONDENCE WITH HER.

THOMAS HARDY

FOR

FBI

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam