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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
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• 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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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)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
  • "cheques " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • revdrodoh_atm_zenithinbk@asiamail.com
  • 3arevdrodoh_atm_zenithinbk@asiamail.com
  • revdrodoh_atm_zenithibk@tlen.pl
  • mrmrsjcw@myway.com
  • 3amrmrsjcw@myway.com

Fraud email example:

From: "mmo bnn" <mmobnn050@legwork.com.ng>
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:19:26 +0100
Subject: CONTACT ATM CARD PAYMENT DEPARTMENT,ZENITH BANK


YOUR ATTENTION BENEFICIARY; (ATM CARD )

IT COME TO MY NOTICE AND SURPRISED TO ME THAT THE BANK DRAFT CHEQUES 1.3USD
ONLY I KEPT FOR YOU BEFORE I TRAVELLED OUT THE COUNTRY, FOR UNFINISHED
BUSINESS TRANSACTION I HARD WITH YOU FOR SOME TIME AGO BUT COULD NOT
CONCLUDED IT DUE TO SOME PROBLEM BUT I WAS ABLE TO EXECUTE THE TRANSACTION
WITH MY FOREIGN FRIEND PARTNER AND I LEFT A CHEQUES 1.3M WITH MY SECRETARY
FOR YOUR COMPENSATION TO SEND TO YOU BUT IT COME TO ME THAT THE CHEQUE COULD
NOT REACH YOU SINCE THEN DUE TO SOME PROBLEM.

FOR THIS I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE BANK WHERE THE CHECK ISSUED TO SEND AND PAY
YOU THE FUNDS 1.3M USD THROUGH ATM CARD THROUGH OUR SWIFT CARD PAYMENT
CENTER ASIA PACIFIC TO AVOID ANY FURTHER PROBLEM. THIS CARD CENTER WILL SEND
YOU AN ATM MASTER 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 TWICE PER DAY. SO IF YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE THAT
YOUR FUND IN THIS WAY,PLEASE CONTACT THE ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT ZENITH
BANK AND ALSO SEND AND RECONFIRM THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO THE BANK.

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 ATM MASTER CARD PAYMENT DEPARTMENT, REV
DR.MATHEW ODOH DIRECTOR WHO IS IN POSSITION TO RELEASE YOUR ATM MASTER CARD.

REV DR.MATHEW ODOH DIRECTOR, ATM MASTER CARD PAYMENT DEPARTMENT ZENITH BANK
INTERNATIONAL PLC.
EMAIL:revdrodoh_atm_zenithinbk@asiamail.com<EMAIL%3Arevdrodoh_atm_zenithinbk@asiamail.com>
,revdrodoh_atm_zenithibk@tlen.pl

THE ATM MASTER CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT $1.3M
USD.TO YOU. YOU HAVE TO STOP ANY FURTHER COMMINUCATION WITH ANY OTHER
PERSON(S) OR OFFICE(s) BANK(s) TO AVOID ANY HITCHES IN RECEIVING YOUR
PAYMENT.

NOTE THAT BECAUSE OF IMPOSTORS, I HEREBY ISSUED YOU OUR CODE OF CONDUCT,
WHICH IS (ATM-811) SO YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS CODE WHEN CONTACTING THE ATM
MASTER CARD CENTER BY USING IT AS YOUR SUBJECT TO YOUR ATM MASTER CARD.

AND DO LET ME KNOW IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THE ATM CARD.

REGARDS,

MR. M. B. WILLIAMS
PLS THIS IS MY NEW EMAIL IN CASE OF ANY FURTHER COMMUNICATION
EMAIL:MRMRSJCW@MYWAY.COM <EMAIL%3AMRMRSJCW@MYWAY.COM>

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam