419 scam: "ATM ESBENIN INC" <mrshelenjohnson01@gmail.com> CONGRATULATION YOU HAVE WON FREE INTERNATIONAL ATM CARD

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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:
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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.
- +22997035492 (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.
- dr_smithdamjo@yahoo.fr (Yahoo, France; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "ATM ESBENIN INC" <mrshelenjohnson01@gmail.com>
Reply-To: "ATM ESBENIN INC" <mrshelenjohnson@hotmail.fr>
Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2011 03:22:49 -0700
Subject: CONGRATULATION YOU HAVE WON FREE INTERNATIONAL ATM CARD

CONGRATULATION YOU HAVE WON FREE INTERNATIONAL ATM CARD
ATM ESBENIN INC.
Avda Baron De Carcer 45
46009, STMAIZ.
REPUBLIC OF BENIN.

Dear Winner,

This email will come to you as a surprise. Congratulation!!! Your email has brought you an unexpected luck. You have won a free INTERNATIONAL ATM MASTER CARD valued(800,000.00 Euro).Eight Hundred Thousand Euro Only, proudly sponsored by AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE (ATM).Most recently this foundation set up the NEWHOPE LOTTERY to give out prizes.

HOW DID YOU WIN / SELECTION PROCESS DONE? No tickets were sold out to enter this promo. Your email is one of the lucky emails selected RANDOMLY via Cyber-online E-wheel Computer Ballot System drawn from over 200,000 companies and 300,000 individual email users, from all over the world during the ATM Online EMAIL selection Draw attached to your Lucky number:(F9800/587/20KK),alone of the 20 lucky winners, in the on going ATM lottery promotion.

WHO IS SPONSORING THIS PROMO? AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE(ATM) AND WHY?. So much money is generated all over the World for using ATM cards. To encourage the use of ATM cards globally, The ATM INC.SETUP THE NEWHOPE LOTTERY to give out prize via random email ballot selection.

To process and secured the release of your ATM card Kindly contact our ATM OEPRATION PAYMENT MANEGER
with below information.

CONTACT PERSON: Dr Smith Damijo
GENERAL ATM OPERATION PAYMENT MANAGER
Tel:+229 970 354 92
Email: dr_smithdamjo@yahoo.fr

PROCEDURES TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE
***************************************************
You must email the following details to the assigned Agent.
Your Full Names_______________________, Mobilephone___________ Age________, Address__________, Occupation____________, Lucky number________________ and Country_______________. And a Scaned Copy of your International Passport or ID Card or Driving Lisence.

THE PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUEOUT THE ATM CARD IN YOUR NAMES ONCE ALL CONDITIONS ARE ABIDE AND PROVIDED BY YOU,WHICH YOU CAN USE TO WITHDRAW MONEY FROM ANY ATM MACHINE,IN ANY PART OF THEWORLD OR OPTIONAL ONCE YOU GET THE ATM CARD YOU CAN TRANSFER THE WHOLE FUNDSINTO YOUR ACCOUNT.

Best of luck as you spend your good fortune and congratulations in advance.

Yours Sincerely,
Mrs Helen JOHNSON
ONLINE CORDINATOR

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam