419 scam: "Mr. James B. Comey" <j.comeyatfbiagent@outlook.com> FEDERAL BUREAU OF 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:

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:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "tax clearance" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "the 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)
- "trunk box" (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)
- "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)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. James B. Comey" <j.comeyatfbiagent@outlook.com>
Reply-To: fbi_jamescomey@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2017 23:20:18 -0000
Subject: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
INTELLIGENCE FIELD UNIT
J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, D.C
20535-0001, USA.

ATTENTION,

I AM JAMES COMEY FROM THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI)
INTELLIGENCE UNIT, WE HAVE JUST INTERCEPTED ONE TRUNK BOX AT JFK AIRPORT
IN NEW YORK, AND WE ARE ON THE VERGE of MOVING IT TO OUR BUREAU HEAD
QUARTERS.

WE HAVE SCANNED THE SAID BOX, AND FOUND THAT IT CONTAINS A TOTAL SUM OF
$4.1 MILLION AND ALSO BACKUP DOCUMENT WHICH BEARS YOUR NAME AS THE
RECEIVER OF THE MONEY CONTAINED IN THE BOX, INVESTIGATIONS CARRIED OUT ON
THE DIPLOMAT WHICH ACCOMPANIED THE BOX INTO THE UNITED STATES DIPLOMAT,
SAID THAT HE WAS TO DELIVER THIS FUNDS TO YOUR RESIDENCE AS PAYMENT WHICH
WAS DUE FROM THE OFFICE OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA FROM UNPAID SUM.

WE CROSS-CHECKED ALL LEGAL DOCUMENTATION IN THE BOX, AND WERE ABOUT TO
RELEASE THE CONSIGNMENT TO THE DIPLOMAT. WE FOUND OUT THAT THE BOX IS
LACKING ONE VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENTATION WHICH AS A RESULT, THE BOX HAS
BEEN CONFISCATED.

ACCORDING TO SECTION 229 SUB SECTION 31 OF THE 1991 CONSTITUTION IN TAX
PAYMENT, YOUR CONSIGNMENT LACKS TAX CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE FROM THE JOINT
TEAM OF THE IRS AND HOMELAND SECURITY, AND THEREFORE, YOU MUST CONTACT US
FOR DIRECTION ON HOW TO PROCURE THIS CERTIFICATE, SO THAT YOU CAN BE
RELIEVED OF THE CHARGES OF EVADING TAX WHICH IS A PUNISHABLE OFFENSE UNDER
SECTION 12 SUB SECTION 441 OF CONSTITUTION ON TAX EVASION.
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO CONTACT THIS BUREAU WITHIN 72HOURS, OR YOU WILL BE
ARRESTED, INTERROGATED AND PROSECUTED IN THE COURT OF LAW FOR MONEY
LAUNDERING.

ALSO, YOU MUST NOT CONTACT ANY OTHER BANK OR PERSONS IN NIGERIA, THE
UNITED KINGDOM OR ANY PART OF THE WORLD FOR ANY PAYMENT, BECAUSE YOUR
PAYMENT HAVE BEEN CONFISCATED BY THIS BUREAU HERE IN THE UNITED STATES..

YOURS IN SERVICE
JAMES.B. COMEY

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam