419 scam: Economic & Financial Crimes Commission <infodesk012@yahoo.com.hk> Attention: Sir/Madam,

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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.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million united states dollars" (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)
- "million dollars" (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)
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (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.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- edwindavi50@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Economic & Financial Crimes Commission <infodesk012@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2016 17:35:53 +0000
Subject: Attention: Sir/Madam,

From Desk Of Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa Magu
Economic & Financial Crimes Commission
Head Office,5 Fomella Street. Wuse II.
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja-Nigeria

$.5 Million Dollars
Compensation Fund.

Attention: Sir/Madam,

I am Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa Magu. The chairman of ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIMES
COMMISSION (EFCC). We are in alliance with the Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS) with its head Office here in Nigeria. We have been
working towards the eradication of internet fraud and scam Activities
in Western
Africa and beyond with the help of United States Government (FBI),
Britain, World Bank and the United Nations.

We have successfully tracked down many of the scam artists in various
parts of West African Countries which includes (NIGERIA, REPUBLIC OF
BENIN, TOGO, GHANA, CAMEROUN and SENEGAL). They are all presently in
our custody here in Lagos Nigeria.
We have recovered some stolen monies from the scam artists. The United
Nations Anti-crime department, United States Government and the
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF) in conjunction with the UN poverty
alleviation department have decided to compensate One Hundred scam
victims, the beneficiaries includes the less privileged, disabled
persons and earthquake victims around the World.

This email is being directed to you because your email address was
found in one of the scam Artists file and computer hard disk in our
custody here in Africa.

You are therefore being compensated with the sum of $5 Million United
States Dollars. We have also arrested some of those who claim to be
barristers, bank officials, Lottery Agents and government officials
who have money for transfer or want you to be the next of kin of such
funds which do not exist.

Since your name appeared among the lucky Beneficiaries who will
receive a compensation of $5 Million, we have arranged your payment
through our swift card payment centre.

Feel free to contact the processing officer Mr. Edwin Davidson .The
swift card has been specially prepared to enable you withdraw your
money in any ATM machine in any part of the world, but the maximum is
Five Thousand Dollars Only per day. So you are advised to contact the
Payment processing officer Mr. Edwin Davidson
Through his email below address.

Contact Person: Mr. Edwin Davidson
Email: edwindavi50@yahoo.com.hk

Kindly Provide the information below to enable him prepare your ATM
Master Credit Card and your secret Pin to access it.

1) Your full name:
2) Residential address:
3) Phone/fax numbers:
4) Profession:
5) Scan copy of id/age:

Yours Faithfully,
Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa Magu,
CHAIRMAN (EFCC).

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam