419 scam: "F.B.I" <ernjr@sbcglobal.net> FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C.

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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. )
- ",000,000" (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)
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
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.

Fraud email example:

From: "F.B.I" <ernjr@sbcglobal.net>
Reply-To: fbidc18@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2011 05:09:30 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C.

FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Federal bureau of investigation
J. Edgar Hoover building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20535-0001
Ref: FBI/DC/25/09
Â

Â
Attention: Fund Beneficiary.
Â
This is an official advice from the FBI foreign remittance/telegraphic dept. it has come to our notice that bank of Benin has released $15,000,000.00 U.S dollars into Federal Reserve Bank in Washington DC in your name as the beneficiary, by Inheritance means. And The bank of BENIN knowing fully well that they do not have enough facilities to effect this payment from the United Kingdom to your account, used what we know as a secret diplomatic transit payment (S.T.D.P) to pay this fund through wire transfer, they used this means to complete the payment.
Â
Now after the investigation on this fund we find out that this fund was transferred illegally from federal republic of Benin, we make contact to know why the make on known transfer into federal reserved bank in Washington DC the government of Benin inform us that these fund was transferred illegally that the officials that is handling this transfer want to made away with the fund, now they are under the custody of Nigerian authorities, we are informed that you are the original beneficiary to this amount then we have to carried out our investigation to know if they are telling us the fact because we believe that NigerianÂ and Benin are full of scams cheaters.
Â
Now your fund is no longer in Benin rather its in Federal Reserve Bank in united state of America in Washington DC you have to contact us immediately so that we will direct you on how to receive your fund from the federal reserve bank. Now that your fund is united state of America you donâ€™t have any more problems the imposters in Benin are behind the bar, I received a letter from the Benin Police this morning that the approval will be sending to us today
Â
The account number where your fund is 0090321673
Your name..............
Address ..................
Email address......
Country........
Telephone number..................
The amount that was transferred into federal reserved bank is.....................$15.000.000.00
This contact has to be made today so that your fund will be direct into your local checking account.

federal reserved bankÂ told me that is $77.00 you have to send to Benin to obtain Oragen of the funds transfer parmit.

here is information you will use to send it dawn to Benin and send us the payment information. i will use my head forward it to them. and there will forward me the paper back.
Â
PAYMENT INFORMATION VIA WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM
Â
Receiver's Name== :Nwekwu Miracle
Country== Benin Republic.
City====Cotonou
Text Question== How Long?'
Answer== Day
Amount=$77.00
Best Regards

ROBERT S. MUELLER, III
DIRECTOR
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam