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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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:
  • "atm payment department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "million united state 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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
  • "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  • +22997093379 (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.
  • info_atmcardpaymentcentre001@yahoo.hk

Fraud email example:

From: "postoffice postoffice" <postoffice07@klikni.cz>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 12:06:20 +0200
Subject: ATM CARD PAYMENT NOTIFICATION


ATM CARD PAYMENT NOTIFICATION
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATION
INTERNATIONAL CREDIT SETTLEMENT,
OCEANIC BANK INTERNATIONAL PLC
BENIN REPUBLIC-COTONOU
WEST AFRICA.

DEAR BENEFICIARY,

THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE VERIFIED YOUR CONTRACT
INHERITANCE FILE AND FOUND OUT THAT WHY YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR PAYMENT
IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT FULFILLED THE OBLIGATIONS GIVEN TO YOU IN RESPECT OF
YOUR CONTRACT INHERITANCE PAYMENT.

WE HAVE DECIDED TO BRING A SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEM. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE
ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT THROUGH OUR SWIFT CARD PAYMENT CENTER ASIA
PACIFIC,THAT IS THE LATEST INSTRUCTION FROM MR.PRESIDENT, YAYI BONI, THE
PRESIDENT OF BENIN REPUBLIC WITH THE CONJUNCTION WITH THE EFCC. AS WELL WITH
THE INTERPOL AND FBI TO RELEASE FUNDS TO BENEFICIARIES VIA ATM CARD PAYMENT.

THIS ATM CARD CENTER WILL SEND TO YOU AN APPROVED ATM CARD WHICH YOU WILL
USE TO WITHDRAW YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM MACHINE IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD, BUT
THE MAXIMUM IS TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS THREE TIMES PER DAY, SO IF YOU LIKE TO
RECEIVE YOUR FUND THIS WAY PLEASE LET US KNOW BY CONTACTING THE CARD PAYMENT
CENTER AND ALSO SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

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

PLEASE CONTACT THIS VERY OFFICE BELOW FOR MORE INSTRUCTION AND DIRECTIVE ON
HOW TO RECEIVE YOUR ATM CARD.

REV. DR. RAYMOND EJIDE
DIRECTOR, ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT
EMAIL:(info_atmcardpaymentcentre001@yahoo.hk)
DIRECT PHONE: +229 97 09 33 79

THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE 0UT TO YOU THE SUM OF
$1.5 MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS AS PART PAYMENT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR 2008.
ALSO FOR YOUR INFORMATION, YOU HAVE TO STOP ANY FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH
ANY OTHER PERSON (S) OR OFFICE (s) TO AVOID ANY HITCHES IN RECEIVING YOUR
PAYMENT.

EMAIL ME BACK AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR FURTHER
DIRECTION AND ALSO UPDATE ME ON ANY DEVELOPMENT FROM THE ABOVE MENTIONED
OFFICE.

NOTE THAT BECAUSE OF IMPOSTORS, WE HEREBY ISSUED YOU OUR CODE OF CONDUCT,
WHICH IS (ATM-Y2K8) SO YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS CODE WHEN CONTACTING THE
CARD CENTER BY USING IT AS YOUR SUBJECT.

MR. PUMEX OBODO
CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT
REPUBLIC DU BENIN

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam