419 scam: "DR. ATIKU BELLO" <r.v.franklin@sbcglobal.net> ATTENTION HONORABLE BENEFICIARY

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
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)
- "card center will send you an atm card" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
- "markwilliams@hosanna.net" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +22999157994 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "DR. ATIKU BELLO" <r.v.franklin@sbcglobal.net>
Reply-To: markwilliams@hosanna.net
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:29:30 -0800 (PST)
Subject: ATTENTION HONORABLE BENEFICIARY

ATM INTERNATIONAL CREDIT SETTLEMENT
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATION
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY
OCEANIC BANK (PLC ) OF BENIN

ATTENTION HONORABLE 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 ALL YOUR ATTEMPT TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF THE FUND TO YOU. WE
WISH TO ADVISE YOU THAT SUCH AN ILLEGAL ACT LIKE THIS HAVE TO STOP IF YOU WISHES 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. PRESIDE NT,UMARU
MUSA YAR'ADUA (GCFR) PRESIDENT FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF
NIGERIA AND FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE.

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

INFORMATION TO HIM IN ORDER TO PROCEED IMMEDIATELY:

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---------------

HOWEVER, KINDLY FIND BELOW THE CONTACT PERSON:
MR. MARK WILLIAMS
DIRECTOR, ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT
PHONE NUMBER:+22999157994
EMAIL: markwilliams@hosanna.net

THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT
$10,000,000.00 AS PART PAYMENT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR 2009.

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 ATM PAYMENT.

FOR ORAL DISCUSSION, HE CAN BE REACHED ON HIS MOBILE NUMBER +229-991-579-94 OR EMAIL HIM 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-222) SO YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS CODE WHEN CONTACTING THE CARD
CENTER BY USING IT AS YOUR SUBJECT.
BEST REGARDS,

DR. ATIKU BELLO
CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam