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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 <federalbbureauofinvestigation@gmail.com>
Reply-To: agentjohnedward169@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 10 Aug 2015 21:07:53 +0100
Subject: Confirm your receipt of this mail without delay.

Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Atlanta Division
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Intelligence field unit
2635 Century Parkway N.E,
Suite 400 Atlanta, GA 30345 USA
E-Mail: agentjohnedward169@yahoo.com


Attention

I am Special Agent John Edward from the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (Atlanta Division) Intelligence Unit. We have just
intercepted and confiscated two (2) trunk boxes at Harts field Jackson
Atlanta international airport, and are on the verge of moving it to
our bureau head quarters.


We have scanned the said boxes, and have found it to contain a total
sum of USD$4.5M and also backup document which bears your name and the
receiver of the money contained in the boxes. Investigations carried
out on the diplomat who accompanied the boxes into the United States
has it that
he was to deliver this fund to your residence as your
contract/inheritance payment which was due you from the office of
finance Minster of the federal government of Nigeria. We cross-checked
all legal documentation in the boxes, and were about to release the
consignment to the diplomat, when we found out that the boxes is
lacking one very important documentation which as a result, the boxes
have been confiscated until the required document is provided.

According to section 229 subsections 31 of the 1991 constitution on
release of unclaimed consignment payment, your consignment lacks funds
ownership certificate and for that reason you must contact me for
direction on how to procure this certificate, so that your consignment
can be legally cleared and okay for delivery to you.
You are required to contact this bureau within 72 hours or we would
take it that you do not want your consignment, and would move it to
the treasury Also, you must not contact any other bank for any
payment, because your payment is here in care of our storage vault
team and will be released to you once you follow my directives.
Yours in service,

Agent John Edward
Reply to: agentjohnedward169@yahoo.com
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Atlanta Division.

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