419 scam: "MR.JOHN FRANCIS PIKUS" <m.francispikus@yahoo.pt> OFFICIAL LETTER FROM THE FBI NEW YORK

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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:
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "huge amount of money" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "trunk box" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "consignment " (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "trunk boxes" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "MR.JOHN FRANCIS PIKUS" <m.francispikus@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: "MR.JOHN FRANCIS PIKUS" <mr.johnfrancis_pikus@yahoo.fr>
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 05:34:51 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: OFFICIAL LETTER FROM THE FBI NEW YORK

Â FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FBI NEW YORK 26 FEDERAL PLAZA 23RD FLOOR NEW. YORK 10278-0004

OFFICIAL LETTER FROM THE FBI NEW YORK

ATTENTION :CONSIGNMENT OWNER:
WE THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) WASHINGTON, DC., BELIEVE YOU RECEIVED THE PREVIOUS MESSAGE WE SENT TO YOU, PRIOR TO YOUR DEALINGS WITH THE U.S COSTUME AUTHORITY AT (JFK) JOHN F. KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT NEW YORK AS REGARDS TO YOUR OVER-DUE CONTRACT PAYMENT CONSIGNMENT TRUNK BOXES WORTH $2.500.000.00,WHICH WAS ENDORSED IN YOUR FAVOR AND LIKE WE STATED EARLIER, WE HAVE DULLY SCREENED THROUGH THIS PROJECT AS STIPULATED ON OUR PROTOCOLS OF OPERATION AND HAVE FINALLY CONFIRMED THAT YOUR CONTRACT PAYMENT IS 100% GENUINE AND HITCH FREE FROM ALL FACET AND OF WHICH YOU HAVE THE LAWFUL RIGHT TO CLAIM YOUR FUND WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY.

THIS IS TO LET YOU TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT WE HAVE JUST BEEN INFORMED THROUGH SECRETE SOURCE THAT THE THE U.S COSTUME AUTHORITY AT (JFK) JOHN F. KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT NEW YORK ARE MAKING ARRANGEMENT TO HAVE YOUR CONTRACT FUND WIRED INTO THE BANK ACCOUNT OF MRS JANE FREDERICK, THE LADY THAT CONTACTED THEM, EARLIER AND PRESENTED SOME DOCUMENTATIONS EVIDENCING YOUR CLAIM PURPORTED TO HAVE BEING SIGNED PERSONALLY BY YOU FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR CONTRACT FUND TO HER, SINCE YOU HAVE CHOSE TO IGNORE THEIR MESSAGES AND REFUSE TO PAY THE REQUIRED $800 FOR COSTUME CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE CHARGES AS IMPOSED,

DESPITE THE ADVISE WE GAVE TO YOU. I WANT TO PERSONALLY ASSURE YOU ONCE AGAIN THAT YOU WILL HAVE EVERY COURSE TO SMILE AND BE HAPPY UPON CONCLUSION OF THIS PROJECT, AS WE WILL CONTINUE MONITORING ALL YOUR SERVICES WITH THEM AT ALL LEVEL AS WELL AS YOUR CORRESPONDENCE, UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED YOUR METAL TRUNK BOX ACCORDINGLY. AS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN, WE ARE HERE TO PROTECT YOUR INTEREST AND THAT IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE DOING ALL WE CAN TO MAKE SURE ALL GOES WELL, THIS IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY WHICH WE DON'T WISH FOR YOU TO LOSE.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE IMPOSED FEE MIGHT BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU TO PAY SO TO FURTHER MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR YOU, WE HAVE DISCUSSED WITH THE U.S CUSTOM AUTHORITY AT (JFK) JOHN F. KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT NEW YORK PLEADED ON YOUR BEHALF FOR THEM TO GIVE YOU THE GRACE OF SENDING HALF OF THE CHARGES $400 FOR NOW AFTER WHICH THE DIPLOMATIC AGENT DELIVERY YOUR CONSIGNMENT TRUNK BOXES TO YOU THEN ONCE YOU RECEIVE YOUR FUND, YOU CAN THEN PAY THE BALANCE $400. ALL WE WANT YOU TO DO RIGHT NOW IS TO SEND THE HALF OF THE MONEY WITH THE NAME LISTED BELOW SO WE CAN FORWARD IT TO BENIN REPUBLIC CUSTOMS AUTHORITY TO HELP US OBTAIN THE COSTUME CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE AND THE DIPLOMAT WILL MAKE THE DELIVERY TO YOUR HOME ADDRESS TOMORROW MORNING.

RECEIVER'S DATA / INFORMATION:

RECEIVERS NAME:..SUNDAY ONUKWU OKEKE
ADDRESS: COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC
TEST QUESTION:..START
ANSWER:...TODAY
MTCN: .........
SENDER'S NAME:......
SENDER'S ADDRESS:.....

CONTACT US RIGHT AWAY AND LET ME WHEN YOU SEND HALF OF THE CHARGES AS WE DISCUSSED WITH THEM TO ENABLE THEM ROUTE YOUR FUND TO YOU WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT. THIS IS A LIFE TIME OPPORTUNITY AND WE WILL ADVISE YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE TO DO SO.

ALSO BE INFORMED THAT WE CAME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE U.S COSTUME AUTHORITY AT (JFK) JOHN F. KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT NEW YORK THAT YOU WILL BE SENDING HALF OF THE FEE, LATEST BEFORE THE END OF TOMORROW SO PLEASE WE WILL ADVISE THAT YOU SEND THE FEE RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE IF YOU FAIL TO DO THAT, THEN THEY WILL HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE THAN TO RELEASE YOUR FUND TO MRS JANE FREDERICK WHO IS READY TO WORK WITH THEM, AND THAT AM SURE WILL BE A VERY GREAT LOSS TO YOU AS WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU THEN, HENCE YOUR FUND WILL BE LOST FOREVER. THIS IS AN OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION AND WE ADVISE YOU TREAT IT WITH UTMOST URGENCY, IN YOUR BEST INTEREST. GOD BLESS YOU !

MR.JOHN FRANCIS PIKUS(DG)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535

Anti-fraud resources:

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