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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
  • "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "ecowas " (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.
  
• 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.
  • +22993846989 (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.
  • occeanicatmpayment2005@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: "raphaelchika" <billmail@purcell.biz>
Reply-To: occeanicatmpayment2005@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 02:28:09 +0100
Subject: CONTACT ATM DEPARTMENT

>From the desk of:
Mr. Peter Ugonma,
Bank Manager,
Oceanic bank international plc.

Re:Immediate ATM DEBIT Cash Card Payment Notification

ATTENTION ORDERING BENEFICIARY


Your Name And Your Contact Details Was Given To This Office In Respect Of
Your Total lnherited/Contract Sum Owed To You Which You Have Failed To
Claim Because Of Either Non-Compliance Of Official Processes Or Because
Of Your Unbelief Of The Reality Of Your Genuine Payment.

We Wish To Bring To You The Solution To This Problem. Federal Government
Of Benin Republic Has Give Our Bank Oder For Your Payment This Time. We
Have Arranged Your Payment Through Our Swift Card Payment Centers, That
Is The Latest Instruction From Economic Community Of West African States
(ECOWAS)

This Card Center Will Send To You An ATM DEBIT Card Which You Will Use To
Withdraw Your Money In Any ATM Machine In Any Part Of The World, So If You
Like To Receive Your Fund In This Way, Please Let Us Know By Contacting
Us Back And Also Send The Following Information As Listed Below.

1. Full Name
2. Phone And Fax Number
3. Address Were You Want Them To Send The ATM Card To
(P.O Box Not Acceptable)
4. Your Age And Current Occupation
5. Attach Copy Of Your Identification

We Have Been Mandated By The ECOWAS Parliament To Issue Out $1.5 Million
usd in your favour This fiscal year 2007. Also For Your Information, Federal
Government Has Advice Us That You Should Stop Any Further Communication
With Any Other Person If You Want To Receive Your Fund This Time, To Avoid
Any Hitches In Receiving Your Payment.

Note That Because Of Impostors, We Hereby Issued You Our Code Of Conduct,
Which Is (ATM-202) So You Have To Indicate This Code When Contacting The
Card Center By Using It As Your Subject.
=================================================================================================
You are advice to contact The Director of ATM Department in our bank so
that he will despatch ATM card direct to you contact address and he will
also issue the legal documnet that will back you as the right beneficiary.

This is where you will contact Director of ATM International
Settlement Dept, Oceanic Bank Plc.

NAME: REV CHIKA MARCEL.
lnternational Settlement Dept.
Oceanic bank international plc.
E-mail: occeanicatmpayment2005@yahoo.fr
Phone number: +229-93-846989
Fax number: +229-93202638

Regard's
Mr. Raphael Chika
Oceanic Bank Manager

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam