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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: "Mr.James B. Comey, Jr." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <george_venizelos@secretarias.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 14:21:34 -0300
Subject: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION[FBI]

Attn:Beneficiary
I am Mr.James B. Comey, Jr., The New FBI Director; After proper investigations,we discovered that your impending payment that have been withheld by imposters, claiming to be LAMIDO SANUSI LAMIDO (Governor of the Central bank of Nigeria),Mr. Patrick Aziza, Mr. Frank Nweke, None existing officials of the Oceanic Bank of Nigeria and Zenith Bank, UK winning Lottery, Andy Lear of Hsbc bank, Coca-Cola winning lottery and among a list of others is now under our custody with the help of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Local Police Force.
Investigations revealed that you have spent a lot on your personal earned money just to conclude the successful transfer of your funds to your nominated bank account by obtaining transfer documents as requested by the imposters, costing you a lot of money but all to no avail The FBI had to send some financial crime investigators from our head office in NEW YORK Field to Africa in other to carry out proper investigation
The New FBI has giving authority to the International Monetary Funds (IMF) to assist the Federal Ministry  of Finance and all the organization involved; such as the Central Bank, Zenith Bank, and Legit lottery organizations to immediately commence with the compensation of all the beneficiaries awaiting the successful transfer of their funds. With the help of some of the best Internet investigators attached to the FBI, we traced your information from the Internet as one of the beneficiaries awaiting the successful transfer of funds to your nominated account.
I am pleased to inform you that a meeting was held as regards the best way to carry out with the compensation exercise for transparency and most especially to avoid reoccurrence of the delay in transferring your funds and the high cost of procuring transfer documents and came to a final conclusion as all head of organizations involved was duly represented.
It was approved to be issued to you as a valid international ATM card cashable at any ATM machine designation in the world. The ATM account has already being credited with two million, five hundred thousand United States dollars. ($2.5,000, 000.00USD) , with a daily Limit of withdrawal of Ten thousand United States Dollars. ($10.000, 00USD).The ATM card has already being packaged and approved to be delivered to your door step via express courier delivery service.
Contact Mr George Venizelos {Our FBI ATM Rep.} at the ATM PAYMENT CENTER and reconfirm your delivery information as stated below and your security code with five digit (15011) number has to be submitted alongside with your delivery information for security reasons
DELIVERY INFORMATION
FULL NAME:
AGE:
DELIVERY ADDRESS:
CELL PHONE NUMBER:
CURRENT OCCUPATION:
SCAN COPY OF YOUR PASSPORT
CONTACT INFORMATION:
NAME: Mr George Venizelos
http://www.fbi.gov/newyork/our-leadership/venizelos
EMAIL: mr.george_venizelos@secretarias.com
FBI CODE (15011)
CALL ME ON
HAVE IT IN MIND THAT THE DELIVERY FEE OF YOUR PACKAGE DELIVERY TO  YOUR DESTINATION HAVE BEEN SETTLED BETWEEN WE AND THE COURIER COMPANY IN CHARGE OF YOUR ATM CARD DELIVERY.SO YOU ARE MANDATED TO PAY FOR THE SECURITY KEEPING FEE ONLY FOR YOUR ATM CARD TO BE DELIVERED TO YOU.
A RELIABLE AND A TRUSTED COURIER COMPANY HAS BEEN CONTACTED TO DELIVER YOUR PACKAGE TO YOUR DESTINATION,AS SOON AS YOU CONTACT MR GEORGE VENIZELOS, HE WILL UPDATE YOU WITH THE COURIER COMPANY EMAIL CONTACT ADDRESS IN OTHER TO AVOID ANY UNDUE DELAY OF YOUR ATM CARD.
NOTE: Under normal circumstances you are suppose to come and collect your ATM CARD in person and sign some documents as proof of the collection of your ATM CARD but the IMF and the Finance Ministry insisted that you pay for the SECURITY KEEPING FEE ONLY of your ATM CARD via western union money transfer, which will cost you only  $150.00 USD to cut down travel expenses in other for the western union payment receipt and the receipt of payment of $150.00 USD to the nominated courier company that will carry out with the delivery to your door step  to be documented in your file as proof your collection.  We hope that is very clear. A receipt to this effect will be sent to you and a copy kept in your file for future documentation.
We also advise that you stop further communications with these imposters and forward any correspondence / proposal you receive from them to Mr George Venizelos in other for the FBI to bring justice to does still at large.
GOD BLESS US.
REGARDS.
Mr.James B. Comey, Jr.
THE NEW FBI DIRECTOR
President Nominates New FBI Director

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