419 scam: "Christopher A. Wray"<info

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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "clearance document" (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. )
- "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)
- "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)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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.
- remittancedept_pfb@aol.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Christopher A. Wray" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <director_fbiwashington@solution4u.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2017 20:10:27 +0100
Subject: Re:

FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FBI.WASHINGTON DC.

The Entire FBI team are very happy to inform you that your name appear on the Global intelligence monitoring network so (FBI) Washington, DC in conjunction with US Government and some other relevant investigation agencies here in the United STATES of America are hereby informing you that you have an over-due payment in tone of USD $50.3M.
we are giving out the total sum of US$50,300,000.00 (FIFTY MILLION THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS) to you for the year 2017 Global intelligence monitoring.
It might interest you to know that we have taken our time in screening through this project as stipulated on our protocol of operation we have finally confirmed that your payment/transaction is Deposited in the Government Account with Prudent Financial Bank and this tranaction is 100% Protected/genuine by the FBI and hitch free from all facets which you have the lawful right to claim your fund with Prudent Financial Bank without any further delay. we will further advise that you go ahead and contact Prudent Financial Bank as we will be monitoring all activities until get your fund as well as your correspondence at all levels.

Kindly contact Mr CHARLES HEATH the General Director Remittance Department of Prudent Financial Bank. He is your claim officer regarding this fund transfer.

Bank Name: Prudent Financial Bank (PFB)
Address: 174 Cambridge St #310, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Attn: CHARLES HEATH (Remittance Director)
E-mail: Remittancedept_PFB@aol.com

Contact the bank today and furnish them with the following details to Process your Fund transfer Immidiately.

(i) Full Name:
(ii) Residential Address:
(iii) Private Mobile Number:
(iv) Age:
(v) Occupation:

When your Data-Bases info is confirmed by the bank it will be attached to your Fund Certificate and Clearance Document
for the prove that you are the real Beneficiary owner of this Funds.

Ensure that you follow all directives from Prudent Financial Bank as this will further help fasten up your Fund transfer process in regards to the transfer of your fund to you as designated. Also have in mind that the Prudent Financial Bank equally has their own protocol of operation as stipulated on their banking terms. All modalities has already been worked out before you were contacted and note that we the FBI will be monitoring all your dealings with them as you proceed so you don't have anything to worry about.

All we require from you henceforth is an update so as to enable us be on track with you and Prudent Financial Bank as you contact them. Without wasting much time, we will want you to contact them immediately with the above email address and phone number so as to enable them attend to your Fund transfer case accordingly without any further delay.

NOTE: There are numerous scam emails on the internet with imposters impersonating names and images. We therefore warn you to be very careful. we ask that you keep this notification strictly from public notice until you claim your fund and money has been remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid impostors or other person/ hackers to claim your fund "BE WARNED"
Keep your Fund transfer information very confidential until your Fund is been transferred to you. This is to avoid double claim of fund.
Also make sure you check your email often to ensure a speedy transfer of your Fund to you. Check both your INBOX and JUNK because your email may be received in either INBOX or JUNK because network problem.

BEST REGARDS,

Christopher A. Wray (Current FBI Director)
Federal Bureau of Investigation.
J. Edgar Hoover Building
601,4th Street,
935 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW Washington, D.C.
20535-0001, USA

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam