419 scam: Steven Smith <wilson_nothing@yahoo.com.sg> TRANSFER OF FUND THROUGH ATM CARD DEPARTMENT

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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 card department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "cost of transfer" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money transfer control number" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "tax clearance" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
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.
- +22998465813 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Steven Smith <wilson_nothing@yahoo.com.sg>
Reply-To: stevensmith@qatar.io
Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:16:19 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: TRANSFER OF FUND THROUGH ATM CARD DEPARTMENT

OFFICE OF THE ATM CARD DIRECTOR OF OPERATION INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPT, IRD.

ATM SWIFT CARD PAYMENT.FOREIGN OPERATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT.

TRANSFER OF FUND THROUGH ATM CARD DEPARTMENT

ATTENTION:,

WE
WROTE TO INFORM YOU THAT WE RECEIVED YOUR MAIL AND YOUR HOME ADDRESS
AND CONTACT DETAILS IN OUR OFFICE FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR FUNDS THROUGH
ATM CARD AND WE ARE LEGITIMATE.

YOU MIGHT BE VERY VERSE WITH THE ATM CARD SYSTEM THROUGH THE BANK SYSTEM
THAT ALLOWS BENEFICIARY DIRECT ACCESS TO MAKE WITHDRAWAL OF FUND FROM
ANY INTERNATIONAL OR LOCAL BANKS ATM MACHINES IN THE WORLD.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNDER THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE WITH THE WORLD BANK
AND IMF (INTERNATIONAL MONITORY FUND) THROUGH UNITED NATION HAS ADOPTED
THIS ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURE OWING TO VARIOUS COMPLAINS/PETITIONS
RECEIVED FROM BENEFICIARIES OWNING TO THE DELAYS IN RECEIVING THEIR
CONTRACT/INHERITANCE FUND AS EXPECTED.

IT MIGHT INTEREST YOU TO NOTE THAT THE ATM CARD SYSTEM OF PAYMENT WAS
ADOPTED TO REDUCE THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROTOCOLS AS REGARDS (COST OF
TRANSFER, VAT, TAXES AND LEVIES), IT WAS ADOPTED TO HELP BENEFICIARY WHO
ARE FINANCIALLY DOWN, WHO ARE NOT CAPABLE TO MEET UP WITH THE
OBLIGATION OF PAYING BANKS AS A RESULT OF FEE ADMINISTRATIVE AND
HANDLING CHARGES.

''THE ATM CARD SYSTEM WILL ONLY COST THE BENEFICIARY '''COST OF SHIPMENT AND TAX CLEARANCE''' VIA UPS COURIER COMPANY.

WE
HAVE CONTACTED THE BENIN REPUBLIC UPS COURIER COMPANY FOR THE DELIVERY
OF YOUR ATM CARD TO YOU. HOWEVER, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO EFFECT THE
PAYMENT.

HERE ARE THE BREAKDOWN:

ACTIVATION OF ATM CARD FEES AND TAX CLEARANCE: US$70

DELIVERY FEES THROUGH THE COURIER COMPANY (EXPRESS SERVICE) IS LISTED BELOW,

THE
SHIPMENT METHODS ARE THROUGH COURIER SERVICES, AND WE HAVE BEEN TO THE
THREE COURIER COMPANIES. SEE BELOW THE COURIER COMPANIES AND THEIR
SHIPMENT FEES.

(EXPRESS SERVICE)

Mailing

$25

Documents

$100

Vat

$30

TOTAL

$155

FedEx(EXPRESS SERVICE)

Mailing

$30

Documents

$100

Vat

$80

TOTAL

$210

UPS(EXPRESS SERVICE)

Mailing

$40

Documents

$100

Vat

$65

TOTAL

$205

BE
INFORMED THAT FOR YOU TO HAVE THE ATM CARD DELIVERED TO YOU, YOU HAVE
TO MAKE THE PAYMENT OF THE SHIPPING. THEREFORE; I ADVICE YOU TO EFFECT
THE PAYMENT VIA WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM TRANSFER TO OUR OFFICE AS
STATED BELOW KNOWING FULLY WELL THAT UPON THE RECEIPT OF THE SAID FEE,
YOU WILL HAVE YOUR ATM CARD SENT TO YOU AND THE TRACKING NUMBERS GIVEN
TO YOU FROM THE COURIER COMPANY,SO AS TO ENABLE YOU TRACK AND MONITOR
THE RECEIPT "ATM CARD"(PARCEL). THIS FEES IS FOR THE UPS COURIER NOT OUR
OFFICE.

RECEIVER'S NAME: EJIKE EMMANUEL

DESTINATION: BENIN REPUBLIC

TEXT QUESTION: COLOR

TEXT ANSWER: BLUE

AS SOON AS YOU SEND THE DELIVERY CHARGES FEES, YOU SHOULD SEND ME THE
PAYMENT INFORMATION AS FOLLOWS FOR MY CONFIRMATION AND FOLLOW UP:

1. SENDER'S NAME AND ADDRESS

2. MONEY TRANSFER CONTROL NUMBER

3. AMOUNT SENT

YOU CAN CONTACT ME ON +229-98465813, FOR ANY QUESTION OR MORE INQUIRES.

AS SOON AS YOU HAVE DONE THE PAYMENT, SEND
THE PAYMENT INFORMATION ABOVE WITH THE MTCN NUMBER TO OUR OFFICE FOR THE
RELEASE OF YOUR ATM CARD THROUGH THE UPS SERVICE OFFICE. AND ALSO THE TRACKING NUMBER WILL BE SENT TO YOU, TO TRACK YOUR PARCEL(ATM CARD) ONLINE.

BE INFORMED THAT YOUR INFORMATION WAS RECEIVED FOR DIRECT PROGRAMMING OF THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER.

TREAT AS URGENT AND MAKE THE PAYMENT TODAY TO ENABLE THE UPS COURIER SERVICE DELIVER YOUR (PARCEL) TO YOU THROUGH YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS.

THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION AND CALL ME WITH MY DIRECT OFFICE MOBILE NUMBER: +229-98465813 FOR VERIFICATION.

YOU ARE TO SEND THE FEES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BEFORE THE DELIVERY OF YOUR
ATM CARD TO YOU TODAY AND ALSO A COPY OF YOUR ATM CARD ISSUED WITH YOUR
NAME AND DETAILS WILL BE SENT TO YOU THROUGH EMAIL ATTACH, AFTER WE
HAVE CONFIRM THE DELIVERY PAYMENT. AND WE CAN NOT DEDUCT THE FEES FROM
THE ATM CARD.

ATTENTION:
LOWELL RICHARD LOWE, IF YOU NO THAT YOU CAN NOT MAKE THE PAYMENT PLEASE
YOU CAN STILL WRITE US AND INFORM US GOD BLESS

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU BETTER AND GOD BLESS YOU TOO.

THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.

YOURS SINCERELY,

MR.STEVEN SMITH.

DIRECTOR OF ATM CARD PAYMENT.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam