419 scam: "INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT"<mail@investigation.org> TREAT AS URGENT TODAY

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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "abuja" (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.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2348061153073 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <investigation.departt1@live.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2011 03:05:24 -0700
Subject: TREAT AS URGENT TODAY

>From the Desk of Erdward George
Federal Ministry of Finance
5th Floor, Annex 3,
New Federal Secretariat Complex,
Shehu Shagari Way,
Central Area Abuja Nigeria.

ATTENTION:BENEFICIARY,

My name is Erdward George I'm the Secratry Federal Ministry of Finance. I'm contacting you to confirm from you if actually YOU know one JENET DURA who claims to be your business associate/partner from AMERICA.

Following the protest of the International Community, The World Bank,IMF and the instruction from THE PRESIDENT GOODLUCK E. JONATHAN that all outstanding foreign DEBTS especially CONTRACT/INHERITANCE PAYMENT should be released to the BENEFICIARIES.

The said Alvan Grant is claiming to us that you were dead and have instructed he to make a change of ownership to your funds before your death, thereby providing this account information (BANK NAME: CITI BANK,NEW YORK. BANK ADDRESS:NEW YORK,USA. ACCOUNT NUMBER:6503809428.ROUTING NUMBER: 122006743 A/C NAME: ALVAN GRANT) as the original account information where the said approved $35Million Dollars will be remitted into.

This development is coming now that the Ministry of Finance wants to offset all outstanding payments owed to all foreign beneficiaries around the world by this Country in which your payment file was affected.As you may know, the total amount approved in your favoris the total sum of $35Million Dollars. And by virtue of claim we need to confirm from you if it's really true that ALVAN GRANT is your business Associate/partner in AMERICA and if we did not hear from you soonest it automatically means that you are actually dead and the information passed to us by ALVAN GRANT is correct.

You are to contact me through my email address as soon as you receive this message so as to know the true position of things with you so That we won't make any mistake in remitting your outstanding payment to a wrong Person/account.Your swift response will help this ministry a lot Do email me with your informations below:

Your Name:
Address:
Sex:
Age:
Occupation:
Your Next of Kin Name and your date of Birth:
Your Telephone/Fax number:
Driver's License/int'l Passport

Best Regards.
Erdward George.
Secratry Federal Ministry Of Finance(FMF).
TEL: +234-8061153073(24 hrs)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam