419 scam: "Federal Bureau of Investigation"<fbi@gov.com> Federal Bureau Of Investigation (CALL MR. ROBERT DENNIS 509-671-9323)

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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:
- "western union" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "fbi washington" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real FBI will not tell you to contact some email address. If you are in any doubt, contact an FBI field office via www.fbi.gov. )
- "robert mueller" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real FBI will not tell you to contact some email address. If you are in any doubt, contact an FBI field office via www.fbi.gov. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
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.
- robertdennis110@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Federal Bureau of Investigation" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <robertdennis118@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:36:16 -0500
Subject: Federal Bureau Of Investigation (CALL MR. ROBERT DENNIS 509-671-9323)

Anti-Terrorist And Monetary Crimes Division
FBI Headquarters In Washington, D.C.
Federal Bureau Of Investigation
J. Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20535-0001
Our e-mail: federalbureauofinvestigation006@live.com

Attn: Beneficiary,

This is to officially inform you that it has come to our notice and we have thoroughly completed an Investigation with the help of our Intelligence Monitoring Network System that you legally won the sum of $1,500,000.00 USD from a Lottery Company in United States of America. During our investigation we discovered that your e-mail won the money from an Online Balloting System and we have authorized this winning to be paid to you via an ATM card.

Normally, it will take up to 2 business days for an ATM card. We have successfully notified that Bank on your behalf that funds are to be drawn from a registered bank within the United States Of America so as to enable withdraw in any ATM card machine around you instantly without any delay, henceforth the stated amount of $1,500,000.00 USD.

We have completed this investigation and you are hereby approved to receive the winning prize as we have verified the entire transaction to be Safe and 100% risk free, due to the fact that the funds have been deposited on the ATM card, you will be required to settle the following bills directly to the Lottery Agent in-charge of this transaction whom is located in Walla Wall, Washington. According to our discoveries, you were required to pay for the following -

The total amount for everything is $450.00 (Four Hundred and Fifty Dollars). We have tried our possible best to indicate that this $450.00 should be deducted from your winning prize but we found out that the funds have already been deposited at ATM card and cannot be accessed by anyone apart from you the winner, therefore you will be required to pay the required fee's to the Agent in-charge of this transaction via Western Union Money Transfer Or Money Gram.

In order to proceed with this transaction, you will be required to contact the agent in-charge (MR. ROBERT DENNIS) via e-mail. Kindly look below to find appropriate contact information:

CONTACT AGENT NAME: MR. ROBERT DENNIS
E-MAIL ADDRESS: robertdennis110@hotmail.com
Phone Number: (509) 671-9323

You will be required to e-mail him with the following information:

FULL NAME:
ADDRESS:
CITY:
STATE:
ZIP CODE:
DIRECT CONTACT NUMBER:

You will also be required to request Western Union Money Transfer or Money Gram details on how to send the required $450.00 in order to immediately send your prize of $1,500,000.00 USD via ATM card, also include the following transaction code in order for him to immediately identify this transaction: EA2948-91090.

This mail will serve as proof that the Federal Bureau Of Investigation is authorizing you to pay the required $450.00 ONLY to MR. ROBERT DENNIS via information in which he shall send to you, if you do not receive your winning prize of $1,500,000.00 USD we shall be held responsible for the loss and this shall invite a penalty of $3,000 which will be made PAYABLE ONLY to you (The Winner).

Robert Mueller (Director) FBI
Washington DC FBI.Room, 7367
J. Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20535-0001

NOTE: In order to ensure your ATM card gets delivered to you ASAP, you are advised to immediately contact MR. ROBERT DENNIS via contact information provided above and make the required payment of $450.00 to information in which he shall provide to you.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam