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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "ATM BENEFICIARY." <test@bowin.hk>
Reply-To: atmpaymntbnficiary@9.cn
Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2010 04:25:09 +0800
Subject: YOUR ATM PAYMENT BENEFICIARY;URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED.


Attn. Atm Beneficiary,
 
ATM BENEFICIARY DEPARTMENT; URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED.
 
IF YOU ARE NOT SERIOUS TO COMPLY WITH THE INSTRUCTION OF PAYING $98 TO REVALIDATE THIS PAYMENT, PLEASE DO NOT REPLY FOR WE WILL NOT ENTERTAIN ANY FORM OF DELAY IN PROCESSING THIS PAYMENT.
 
We are hereby directed by federal ministry of Finance and the Apex bank here in Benin Republic to pay you ,your "compensation funds" of $1.6M usd., through ATM master card payment and also through our swift card paymentcenter.This atm payment card center will process, issue and send you a global ATM master card which you will use to withdraw your money in any atm machine worldwilde, but the maximum you can withdraw is one thousand five hundred united states dollars per day. 
 
So, you are now directed to contact our (ATM card) payment department officer ( DR. PRIMUS ANGON,) the Director who is in position and incharge to release your ATM master card, and also forward the below information to them for processing.
 
1. Your full name
2. Address where you will like it to be sent.
3. Private phone and fax number
4. Your age.
5. Occupation / postion.
6. Attached / scanned copy of any identification of yours.
 
Contact person ; Dr. Primus Angon
department ; ATM master card payment Dept.
EMAIL: atmpaymntbnficiary@9.cn
Director, ATM master card payment department, Head of International
transfer. 
 
Meanwhile, you hereby advised to put a STOP to any further communication with any other person(s) or office(s) to avoid any hitches in processing and receiving your payment.
 
"NOTE", that you will only be required to pay an official fees of $98 for revalidation of your payment and to secure your pin code number from the ministry of finance. We Will give you information on how you will send the required fee if you are serious and ready to receive your money.
 
Also note that because of fraud and impostors, we hereby issue you our code of ethics, which is (ATM-811), so you have to indicate this code when contacting the ATM master card payment center.
 
Sincerely,
Mr. John Mosaa
Foreign Payment Office.(Dept.) 

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