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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.

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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)
  • "million us 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)
• 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.
  • +22993926991 (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.
  • oceanickbank3@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "benin republic Frank Alex" <frankalex02@gala.net>
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 08:09:24 -0700
Subject: l have deposited the cheque with Oceanic Bank


Good Day

I have been waiting for you since to come down here and pick your Bank Draft
but did not hear from you since that time, then I went and deposited the
Draft with Oceanic Bank pl c here in Benin Republic, because I travelled to
Japan to see my boss and will not come back till next two months ending. I
have arranged with them to make your payment to you with their new ATM
MASTER CARD $1.5million us dollars which you can use to withdraw your money
in any ATM MACHINE around the globe. You have to contact the Oceanic Bank
Plc with your full contact informations such as follows.

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

However, Kindly contact the below person who is in position to release YOUR
ATM CARD.

MR JOHN E. BROWN DIRECTOR,
ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT OCEANIC BANK PLC
MOBILE:+229-93-926991 EMAIL:(oceanickbank3@gmail.com)

Note.That it was agreed that you will send to them the sum of 185usd Only
for the processing of your master card. So Try to contact them and ask them
how you will send the $185 to receive your ATM card,please contact them as
soon as possible to quicken the processing of your card before your draft
gets Expired . Let me know as soon as you receive your A T M Card
$1.5million USA dollars.

Thanks
Mr Frank Alex.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam