419 scam: "ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT FINANCIAL BANK $Foreign Operation Dept$" <info.departmoffice@gmail.com> Atm Card/Activation fee is $36---Washington Dulles International Airport.

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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:
- "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 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. )
- "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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "million 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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned 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.

Fraud email example:

From: "ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT FINANCIAL BANK $Foreign Operation Dept$" <info.departmoffice@gmail.com>
Reply-To: interl.departm2@msn.com
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 10:37:41 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Atm Card/Activation fee is $36---Washington Dulles International Airport.

Attention,

Thank you for your email, Please note that we receive the money that you sent, Please note that your card that worth $1.200.000.00 million dollars, and please you have to understand that you can withdraw only $5.000 perday from the card in any Atm mechine, so please note that your pin code for the with drawing is: 4489, Please note that the pin numbers are not yet activated and we have call the Atm mechine directors, and he said that the activation fee is $36, so please note that you have to send this fee now so that they can activate it before it reaches to your address which you gave to us. Please note that you are advice to send the fee by western union with the below details now so that we can get things done today without any further delay again:

Senders Name:----
Recivers name:---- Ikechi N. Enwereuzor
Country:--- Benin Republic
City:-- Cotonou
Question:----Who?
Answer:---Ikechi
MTCN:--------
Amount:--$36

As soon as you send the money today, please you have to call me or you email me the MTCN, so that we can get things done today without any further delay again. Please try all you can to see that you send this fee today without any further delay again.

Note: your Package is right at the Washington Dulles International Airport custom office will soon get to your destination address there in Usa by today as soon as you can send this $36. without you dont send this fee to provide you the Final releasement Document for the releasement of your package this morning been 19/04/2011, your package will not be release and if you dont send the fee today, Please try to call the custom officier through this phone number +1 (206)4266305 for confirmation. your Atm card will be hand over to the lady, and they will send the card to her by today. Please note that the delivery agent will be leaving to london by today for a proget. so try all you can to send this fee by today so that we can get every things done by today without any further delay again.
Waiting to hear from you soon.

Best regards,
Mr. Williams Peter.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam