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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 Director." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fbi.director900@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 31 May 2018 07:33:00 -0700
Subject: FBI Director.

ANTI-TERRORIST AND MONETARY CRIMES DIVISION
FBI HEADQUARTERS IN NEW YORK
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Attn: Email Owner.
We have finally completed an investigation with the help of our Intelligence Monitoring Network system, your E-mail address was among the email that Won UK National lottery Award which you did not claim, one of the banker where your fund was deposited arrange with his friend to come as the owner of your E-mail in other to claim your winning fund, unfortunately they were caught and have been arrested but the good news is that your fund has been recovered and will be transferred to you as soon as possible.
If you receive any E-mail from unknown sender that you did not understand please do forward it to us verification and clarification. With the help of our Money trafficking investigation department, we discovered that you have some fund valued GBP 950,000.00 Great British Pound Sterling on your name, the said payment is awaiting adjudication and we have authorized this winning to be paid to you, this fund are from UK NATIONAL LOTTERY.
Re-confirm, Names, Address, Phone Number, Age / sex, Occupation and Country, to avoid double claim of your fund.
NOTE: If You Receive This Message In Your Junk Or Spam It's Due To Your Internet Provider.
YOUR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE IS NEEDED
Christopher A. WRAYa
FBI Director.

Anti-fraud resources: