419 scam: "MR. PAUL SMITH"<info@fbi.gov> 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:

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:
- "contact the atm card center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "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. )
- "moneygram" (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. )
- "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)
- "charles c. soludo" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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.
MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a 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.
- info.mark.desk1@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. PAUL SMITH" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info.mark.desk1@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2018 17:16:21 +0300
Subject: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

ANTI-TERRORIST AND MONETARY CRIMES DIVISION
FBI HEADQUARTERS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535-0001
TEL/FAX 202 652 2396
Website: www.fbi.gov

ATTN: BENEFICIARY.

This is to Officially inform you that it has come to our
notice and we have thoroughly completed an Investigated with
the

help of our Intelligence Monitoring Network System that you
are having an illegal transaction with Impostors claiming to
be

Prof. Charles C. Soludo and Sanusi of the Central Bank Of
Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Aziza, none officials of Oceanic Bank,
none

officials of Zenith Bank and some impostors claiming to be
the Federal Bureau Of Investigation agents and EFCC and
ICPC.

During our Investigation, it came to our notice that the
reason why you have not received your payment is because you
have

not fulfilled your Financial Obligation given to you in
respect of your Contract/Inheritance Payment.

So therefore, we have contacted the Federal Ministry Of
Finance on your behalf and they have brought a solution to
your

problem by coordinating your payment in the total amount of
$800,000.00 USD which will be deposited into an ATM CARD
which

you will use to withdraw funds anywhere Since the Federal
Bureau of Investigation has been involved in this
transaction,

you are now to be rest assured that this transaction is
legitimate and completely risk-free as it is our duty to
Protect

and Serve citizens of the United States Of America.We also
notice that some imposter has been claiming to be one of our

offices; I want you to stop anything you have with any of
them and proceed with Mr. Paul Smith, is the only person in

change of this matter.

All you have to do is immediately contact the ATM CARD
CENTER via E-mail for instructions on how to procure your
Approval

Slip which contains details on how to receive and activate
your ATM CARD for immediate use to withdraw funds being paid
to

you. We have confirmed that the amount required to procure
the Approval Slip will cost you a total of $230 USD which
will

be paid directly to the ATM CARD CENTER agent via Western
Union Money Transfer / MoneyGram Money Transfer. Below, you
shall

find contact details of the Agent whom will process your
transaction from Federal Minister of Finance: We have
agreement

with the federal government of Nigeria that you must pay for
the approval slip for them to confirm that you are the real

possessor of this card.

CONTACT INFORMATION FEDERAL MINISTER OF FINANCE.
ATM CARD CENTRE
NAME: MR. PAUL SMITH
EMAIL:info.mark.desk1@gmail.com
CONTACT CODE 555

Immediately contact Mr. Paul Smith of the ATM Card Center
with the following information:

Full Name: Address:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Direct Phone Number:
Current Occupation:

Contact code 555, use this code and contact Mr. Paul Smith
because of the impostors in Nigeria. Once you have sent the

required information to Mr. Paul Smith he will contact you
with instructions on how to make the payment of $230 USD for
the

Approval Slip after which he will proceed towards delivery
of the ATM CARD 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 $230 to the agent in charge of this transaction,
immediately contact us back for more investigation for
conformation of

your ATM card. The both offices are working 24hours to get
this project complete.

Federal Bureau Investigation
Director, FBI
Christopher A. Wray

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam