419 scam: "fbi"<fbi@fbi.com> Investigation

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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. )
- "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)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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 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.
- +2348031596293 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- johnsmithefccnig@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "fbi" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fbi_fbi009@presidency.com>
Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2014 09:52:29 +0100
Subject: Investigation

ANTI-TERRORIST AND MONITORY CRIMES DIVISION.
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION.
J. EDGAR. HOOVER BUILDING, WASHINGTON D.C

ATTN: Fund Beneficiary.

We have been informed officially thorough the help of our Intelligence monitoring Network System that Dr. Robert Walter from Canada has presented himself to claim your funds as your Next of Kin and we were also informed that you died in an auto crash some weeks ago. Dr Robert Walter submitted an account information where he wants the money to be transferred. The account information is as follows:

Bank of Canada
A/c No: 890458984589.
Routing No: bl 275-79665.
Aba no: BL-ANAJFG-FL.

You're requested to get back to us quickly to notify us if you're the person that sent this man because is ready to pay for your Fund approval slip because that is the only thing keeping your payment. Also, during our Investigation, it came to our notice that the reason why you have not received your payment is because you have not fulfilled all the requirements given to you in respect to the release of your Payment.

Therefore, we have contacted the Federal Ministry of Finance in Nigeria on your behalf and a solution to your problem has been sorted out by coordinating your payment in the total amount of $10.5 Million USD which will be paid to you. But you'll be expected to make your choice of payment from the list of payment options below:

(1) KEY TESTED TRANSFER (KTT).
(2) PAYMENT VIA ATM CARD.
(3) DIPLOMATIC CASH DELIVERY.
(4) BANK DRAFT.

Since the Federal Bureau of Investigation have stepped into this transaction,You're rest assured that this transaction is legitimate and completely risk-free as it is our duty to protect and Serve our citizens of the United States of America and people around the world. However, you'll be expected to contact the payment center via E-mail for instructions on how to procure your Approval Slip which contains details on how you'll receive your overdue Contract/Inheritance payment. We have confirmed

that the amount required to procure the Approval Slip will cost you a total of $750 USD only and the fee should be paid directly to the PAYMENT OFFICER via Western Union Money transfer / Money Gram Money transfer.

Below, is the contact details of the payment officer who will process your transaction in Federal Minister of Finance:

CONTACT INFORMATION
FEDERAL MINISTER OF FINANCE.
PAYMENT CENTRE
NAME: REV. JOHN SMITH
OFFICE LINE: +234-8031596293
EMAIL: johnsmithefccnig@hotmail.com

Contact REV. JOHN SMITH of the federal ministry of finance payment Centre with the following information:

FULL NAME:
ADDRESS:
DIRECT PHONE NUMBER:
BANK PARTICULARS:
CURRENT OCCUPATION:
ANNUAL INCOME:

Once you have sent the required information to REV. John SMITH he will contact you with instructions on how to make the payment of $750 USD only for the procurement of your Approval Slip to enable him expedite action on the processing and release of your payment without any further delay. You have hereby been authorized /guaranteed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to commence towards completing this transaction, as there shall be NO delay once payment for the Approval Slip has been made to the authorized agent.

Once you have completed payment of $750 to the agent in charge of this transaction,you're advised to keep us posted to enable us follow up with the release of your payment.

Act fast.
Federal Bureau Investigation
James B. Comey, FBI

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam