419 scam: MR JAMES EMMA <office.file01@verizon.net> HELLO MY DEAREST FRIEND,

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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)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
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.
- +22998347499 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: MR JAMES EMMA <office.file01@verizon.net>
Reply-To: oceanicgraphltd@qatar.io
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:34:04 -0800 (PST)
Subject: HELLO MY DEAREST FRIEND,

HELLO MY DEAREST FRIEND,

WE GOT YOUR INFORMATION THROUGH THE CHAMBERS OF COMMENCE, AND WE HAVE ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT OF ($3.2m) THREE POINT TWO MILLIONS UNITED STATES DOLLARS THROUGH SWIFT CARD PAYMENT CENTRE DEPT HERE IN OUR BANK, THIS CARD CENTRE 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 ONE THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED UNITED STATES DOLLARS PER DAY.

SO IF YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND IN THIS WAY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW BY CONTACTING OCEANIC BANK ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT AND YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ASSIST IN THE DOCUMENTATION OF YOUR ATM BY FILLING THE REQUESTED INFORMATION STATED IN THE FORM BELOW.

FULL NAMES: __________________

ADDRESS: _____________________

CITY: ________________________

STATE: _______________________

ZIP: _________________________

COUNTRY_______________________

EX: __________________________

AGE: _________________________

MARITAL STATUS: ______________

RELIGION: ____________________

OCCUPATION: __________________

E-MAIL ADDRESS: ______________

TELEPHONE NUMBER: ____________

PASSPORT COPY TO IDENTIFY YOU: _____________________ I_______________ HEREBY DECLARE THAT, ALL ABOVE INFORMATION PRODUCED BY ME ARE TRUE.

HOWEVER, KINDLY CONTACT THE BELOW PERSON WHO IS IN POSITION TO RELEASE YOUR ATM PAYMENT CARD.

REV DR. PETER OBI.

ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT

OCEANIC BANK BENIN REPUBLIC.

MOBILE: +229-98 34 74 99

EMAIL: (oceanicgraphltd@qatar.io)

THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTRE HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT YOUR PAYMENT AND YOU HAVE TO STOP ANY FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH ANY OTHER PERSON(S) OR OFFICE(S) TO AVOID ANY HITCHES IN RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT.

NOTE THAT BECAUSE OF IMPOSTORS, WE HEREBY ISSUED YOU THE CODE OF CONDUCT, WHICH IS (ATM-0411) SO YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS CODE WHEN CONTACTING THE ATM DEPT CENTRE IN THIS OCEANIC BANK BY USING IT AS YOUR SUBJECT.

MR JAMES EMMA

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam