419 scam: "FBI INVESTIGATION UNIT"<fbialert@usa.org> Attention: Unpaid beneficiary,

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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "consignment " (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)
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- ",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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "peter_chamber@admin.in.th" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "FBI INVESTIGATION UNIT" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <alert_fbi@yahoo.cn>
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2013 08:25:10 -0500
Subject: Attention: Unpaid beneficiary,

Anti-Terrorist and Monetary Crimes Division

Federal Bureau Of Investigation

Website: www.fbi.gov

Re: Your Funds Intercepted,

We write to inform you that our intelligent monitoring network intercepted some inheritance funds, Atm Visa Cards,lottery award winning and consignment boxes valued $2,500,000.00 (Two Million Five Hundred Thousand united state dollars).

After we have conducted due investigation and verifications, the two men whose name has been withheld for security reasons confessed of been responsible for your inability of receiving your atm card/funds.

We have been able to ascertain that these imposters deliberately hindered you from not been able to receive your funds by conniving with the agents in charge of your funds release by demanding excessive fees for their own selfish reasons.

We intercepted these FUNDS when they were trying to divert all funds into their names and were to be taken to The United Kingdom according to plans so we have deposited your FUNDS with our security company.

You are therefore advised to contact Barrister Peter Nelson via email: peter_chamber@admin.in.th] to help you process the release of your payment without further hitches.

We trust he would offer all possible assistance to help you secure the process of your funds release as soon as you get correspond to him as instructed. We hope to redeem the image of this country from all the scams perpetrated on innocent people.

Please do not hesitate to revert back us once you contact the attorney and you have any further complications for guidelines.

Mrs Maria Wong

Head of Assets Forfeiture and Tax Investigation Unit

MCID Headquarters in collaboration with Fbi Headquarters In Washington, D.C.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam