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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "FBI" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <agentjamescomeyoffbi@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2016 23:02:57 +0300
Subject: ATTENTION FROM FBI.

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
INTELLIGENCE FIELD UNIT
https://www.fbi.gov
J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, D.C
20535-0001, USA.
 
 
ATTENTION !
 
I AM JAMES COMEY FROM THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) INTELLIGENCE UNIT, WE HAVE JUST INTERCEPTED ONE TRUNK BOX AT JFK AIRPORT IN NEW YORK, AND WE ARE ON THE VERGE of MOVING IT TO OUR BUREAU HEAD QUARTERS.
 
WE HAVE SCANNED THE SAID BOX, AND FOUND THAT IT CONTAINS A TOTAL SUM OF $4.1 MILLION AND ALSO BACKUP DOCUMENT WHICH BEARS YOUR NAME AS THE RECEIVER OF THE MONEY CONTAINED IN THE BOX, INVESTIGATIONS CARRIED OUT ON THE DIPLOMAT WHICH ACCOMPANIED THE BOX INTO THE UNITED STATES DIPLOMAT, SAID  THAT HE WAS TO DELIVER THIS FUNDS TO YOUR RESIDENCE AS PAYMENT WHICH WAS DUE FROM THE OFFICE OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA FROM UNPAID SUM.
 
WE CROSS-CHECKED ALL LEGAL DOCUMENTATION IN THE BOX, AND WERE ABOUT TO RELEASE THE CONSIGNMENT TO THE DIPLOMAT. WE FOUND OUT THAT THE BOX IS LACKING ONE VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENTATION WHICH AS A RESULT, THE BOX HAS BEEN CONFISCATED.
 
ACCORDING TO SECTION 229 SUB SECTION 31 OF THE 1991 CONSTITUTION IN TAX PAYMENT, YOUR CONSIGNMENT LACKS TAX CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE FROM THE JOINT TEAM OF THE IRS AND HOMELAND SECURITY, AND THEREFORE, YOU MUST CONTACT US FOR DIRECTION ON HOW TO PROCURE THIS CERTIFICATE, SO THAT YOU CAN BE RELIEVED OF THE CHARGES OF EVADING TAX WHICH IS A PUNISHABLE OFFENSE UNDER SECTION 12 SUB SECTION 441 OF CONSTITUTION ON TAX EVASION.
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO CONTACT THIS BUREAU WITHIN 72HOURS, OR YOU WILL BE ARRESTED, INTERROGATED AND PROSECUTED IN THE COURT OF LAW FOR MONEY LAUNDERING.
 
ALSO, YOU MUST NOT CONTACT ANY OTHER BANK OR PERSONS IN NIGERIA, THE UNITED KINGDOM OR ANY PART OF THE WORLD FOR ANY PAYMENT, BECAUSE YOUR PAYMENT HAVE BEEN CONFISCATED BY THIS BUREAU HERE IN THE UNITED STATES..
 
 
YOURS IN SERVICE
JAMES.B. COMEY
 

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