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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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• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "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)
  • "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)
  • "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
  • "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
• 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.
  • +22993068379 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
  • +22997917846 (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.
  • ecobankplcbeninrepublic@tlen.pl (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "anthony atiku" <atikuanthony@klikni.cz>
Date: Sat, 24 May 2008 16:19:37 +0100
Subject: CONTACT THE ECO BANK FOR YOUR ATM CARD


ATTN FUND BENEFICIARY

THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE VERIFIED YOUR 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
INHERITANCE PAYMENT.SECONDLY WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT YOU ARE STILL
DEALING WITH THE NONE OFFICIALS IN THE BANK YOUR ENTIRE ATTEMPT TO SECURE
THE RELEASE OF THE FUND TO YOU.

WE WISH TO ADVISE YOU THAT SUCH AN ILLEGAL ACT LIKE THESE HAVE TO STOP IF
YOU WISH TO RECEIVE YOUR PAYMENT SINCE 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.FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN.

THIS CARD CENTER WILL SEND YOU AN ATM CARD WORTH YOUR NHERITED FUND OF
USD2.5000$ (Two Million Five Hundred Thousand United State of America
Dollars Only)WHICH YOU WILL USE TO WITHDRAW YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM MACHINE
IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD, BUT THE MAXIMUM IS TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS PER DAY,
SO IF YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND THIS WAY PLEASE LET US KNOW BY
CONTACTING THE ECO BANK PLC PAYMASTER GENERAL CARD

Contact Person is below.
Prof Martin Ude the director manger of ECO BANK
Europa-ag ATM CARD PAYING CENTRE email:(ecobankplcbeninrepublic@tlen.pl)
Tel+229-93 06 83 79 Fax +229-9791-7846

AND ALSO SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

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

THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT USD2.5 000$
MILLION DOLLARS AS PART PAYMENT FOR THE END OF 2007 FISCAL YEAR. ALSO FOR
YOUR INFORMATION,YOU HAVE TO STOP ANY FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH ANY OTHER
PERSON(S) OR OFFICE(S)TO AVOID ANY HITCHESINRECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT. FOR ORAL
DISCUSSION, CALL AND 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-822) SO YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS CODE WHEN CONTACTING
THE CARD CENTER BY USING IT AS YOUR SUBJECT.

REGARDS,

ACCOUNT MR ANTHONY ATIKU

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam