419 scam: "economic and financial crime ommission(EFCC"<test1@funfan.jp> The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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. )
- "economic and financial crimes commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "your loan " (Beware of fake loan offers. Real lenders would not normally use free webmail addresses such as Yahoo, nor would they lend to individuals or small businesses in a different country from where they are based. Beware of mobile phones or redirector numbers!)
- "lagos" (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.
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.
- collins_willson@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "economic and financial crime ommission(EFCC" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <collins_willson@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2013 00:30:41 +0100
Subject: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
15A Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.Nigeria
http://www.efccnigeria.org

This is to officially announce to you that some scam Syndicates were apprehended in Lagos, Nigeria few weeks ago and after several interrogations and tortures your details were among those mentioned by some of the scam Syndicates as one of the victims of their operations.

And After proper investigations and research at Western Union Money Transfer and Money Gram office to know if you have truly sent money to the scam Syndicates through Western Union Money Transfer or Money Gram, your name was found in Western Union Money Transfer database amongst those that have sent money through Western Union Money Transfer to Nigeria and this proves that you have truly been swindled by those unscrupulous persons by sending money to him in the course of getting your loan Which the other say that is not real, right now we are working hand in hand with Western Union and Interpol to track every fraudsters down, do not respond to their e-mails, letters and phone calls any longer they are scammers and you should be very careful to avoid being a victim to fraudsters any longer because they have nothing to offer you but to rip-off what you have worked hard to earn.

In this regard a meeting was held between the Board of Directors of The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and as a consequence of our investigations it was agreed that the sum of Nine Hundred And Fifty thousand US Dollars (US$950,000.00) should be transferred to you out of the funds that Federal Government of Nigeria has set aside as a compensation to everyone who have by one way or the other sent money to fraudsters in Nigeria.

***Please note that we will NO LONGER be liable for any loss, cost or expense, whatsoever, suffered or incurred by You in connection with the fraudsters. Be warned!

We have deposited your fund United Bank for African located at EMS Post office Lagos, Nigeria. We have submitted your details to them so that your fund can be transferred to you. We have also paid the Registration and Safe Keeping fees and for security reasons we have also insured your fund to avoid misappropriation.

Contact our Agent office through the email address stated below inform them about this notification letter and the transfer of your fund;

You have been advice to contact us on the email below along with your personal data.

Email:collins_willson@hotmail.com

YOUR FULL NAMES:...............
RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS:............
OCCUPATION:....................
YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER:........
NATIONALI TY:.................
STATE:................
AGE:..................

Thanks for your interest and if you have any issue with he you are free to contact us we will modify it.

Yours sincerely,
Assistant Investigation Officer.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
15A Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.Nigeria
http://www.efccnigeria.org/

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam