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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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• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
  • "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.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +22993772997 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • oceanic_bankplc2001@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: johnonyi1@zipmail.com.br
Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 01:35:08 +0200
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?CONTACT=20=20OCEANIC=20BANK=20IMMEDIATELY=20FOR=20YOUR=20ATM=20CARD?=

ATTN: DEAR FRIEND.

WE GOT YOUR INFORMATION THROUGH john onyi,AND WE HAVE ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT
OF ($800,000.00) HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS THROUGH SWIFT CARD
PAYMENT CENTER DEPT HERE IN OUR BANK, THIS CARD CENTER WILL SEND YOU AN
ATM CARD WHICH YOU WILL USE TO WITHDRAW YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM MACHINE IN
ANY PART OF THE WORLD,

BUT THE MAXIMUM IS ONE THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED UNITED STATES DOLLARS PER
DAY.SO IF YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND IN THIS WAY,PLEASE LET ME KNOW BY
CONTACTING OCEANIC BANK ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT AND ALSO SEND THE FOLLOWING
INFORMATION AS LISTED BELOW.

1.FULL NAME
2.ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD
3.PHONE AND FAX NUMBER
4.YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
5.ATTACH COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION

HOWEVER, KINDLY CONTACT THE BELOW PERSON WHO IS IN POSSITION TO RELEASE
YOUR ATM PAYMENT CARD.

REV DR. JAMES CHIKA DIRECTOR,
ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT
OCEANIC BANK BENIN.
MOBILE: +229-93-77-29-97
EMAIL: ( oceanic_bankplc2001@yahoo.fr )

THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT YOUR PAYMENT
AND YOU HAVE TO STOP ANY FURTHER COMMINUCATION WITH ANY OTHER PERSON(S)
OR OFFICE(s) TO AVOID ANY HITCHES IN RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT.NOTE THAT BECAUSE
OF IMPOSTORS, WE HEREBY ISSUED YOU THE CODE OF CONDUCT, WHICH IS (ATM-0411)
SO YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS CODE WHEN CONTACTING THE ATM DEPT CENTER IN
THIS OCEANIC BANK BY USING IT AS YOUR SUBJECT.

REGARDS,

REV JAMES CHIKA
Phone: +229-93-77-29-97
DIRCETOR OF OCEANIC BANK PLC
COTONOU-BENIN REPUBLIC.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam