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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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.

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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "card center will send you an atm card" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "activation fee" (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 ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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)
  • "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • eco_bank_plc5@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "barrjameswilliams barrjameswilliams" <barrjameswilliams@latinmail.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 22:06:13 +0100 (CET)
Subject: CONTACT YOUR ATM CARD PAYMENT FOR FUND BENEFICIARIES




OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
INTERNATIONAL CREDIT SETTLEMENT=20
ECO BANK OF BENIN.
=20
ATTENTION BENEFICIARY :
=20
THIS IS TO OFFICIALY INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE VERIFIED YOUR CONTRACT /IN=
HERITANCE FILE AND FOUND OUT THAT WHY YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR PAYMEN=
T IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT FUFILLED THE OBLIGATIONS GIVEN TO YOU IN RESP=
ECT OF YOUR CONTRACT / INHERITANCE PAYMENT.
=20
SECONDLY WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT YOU ARE STILL DEALING WITH THE NONE=
OFFICIALS IN THE BANK ALL YOUR ATTEMPT TO SECURE THE
RELEASE OF THE FUND TO YOU. WE WISH TO ADVISE YOU THAT SUCH AN ILEGAL A=
CT LIKE THIS HAVE TO STOP IF YOU WISHES TO RECEIVE YOUR PAYMENT SINCE W=
E HAVE DECIDED TO BRING A SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEM. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A=
RRANGED YOUR PAYMENT THROUGH OUR SWIFT CARD PAYMENT CENTER ASIA PACIFIC=
, THAT IS THE LATEST INSTRUCTION BY THE PRESIDENT CHIEF YAYI BONI (GCFR=
) FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
=20
THIS CARD CENTER WILL SEND YOU AN ATM CARD WHICH YOU WILL USE TO WITHDR=
AW YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM MACHINE IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD, BUT THE MAXI=
MUM IS ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS PER DAY,SO IF YOU LIKE TO RECI=
EVE YOUR FUND THIS WAY PLEASE LET US KNOW BY CONTACTING THE CARD PAYMEN=
T CENTER AND ALSO SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:AND THE ONLY MONEY YOU=
WILL PAY TO THE BANK IS USD$105 FOR THE ATM CARD REACTIVATION FEE AND =
OPENING ACCOUNT FEE,THEN THEY WILL SEND YOU THE ATM CARD FOR YOUR GIVIN=
G ADRESS IMMEDIATE TO USE.
=20
1.YOUR FULL NAME
2.PHONE AND FAX NUMBER,
3.ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD
TO(P.O BOX NOT ACCEPTABLE)=20
4.YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
5.A COPY OF YOUR IDENTITY
=20
CONTACT PERSON:=20
Dr.Thomas Robert
Director, ATM Foreign Operation Dept.
ECO Bank Cotonou, Benin Republic.
TEL: 229 93-48-77-42
Email: (eco_bank_plc5@yahoo.fr)=20

THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE
OUT $8,300,000.00 AS PART PAYMENT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR
2007. ALSO FOR YOUR INFORMATION YOU HAVE TO STOP ANY FURTHER COMMINUCAT=
ION WITH ANY OTHER PERSON(S) OR OFFICE(s). THIS IS TO AVOID ANY HITCHES=
IN FINALIZING YOUR PAYMENT.
=20
NOTE: THAT BECAUSE OF IMPOSTORS, WE HEREBY ISSUED YOU
OUR CODE OF CONDUCT, WHICH IS (811) SO YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS
CODE WHEN CONTACTING THE CARD CENTER.
=20
(BARR. JAMES WILLIAMS)
CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN


=20




La carrera hacia la Casa Blanca, a un click de distancia http://www.sta=
rmedia.com/noticias/especiales/gobiernousa.html

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam