419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "economic and financial crimes commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
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.
- drfranklcollins1@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- director, atm payment remittance department email: drfranklcollins1@yahoo.co.jp note that because of impostors, we hereby issued you our (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: MR.SADIQ ALMAN-OFFICE OF THE CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT
<mrsadiqalman2012@office.com>
Reply-To: <mrsadiqalman2012@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:21:42 +0100
Subject: Overdue Inheritance Claim./ OFFICE OF THE CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT :REF: 12.38.167.11

IMMEDIATE ATM CARD PAYMENT
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT,
INTERNATIONAL CREDIT SETTLEMENT.

DEAR VALUED BENEFICIARY,

WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT YOU ARE STILL DEALING WITH THE NONE OFFICIALS IN THE BANK. YOUR ENTIRE ATTEMPT TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF THE FUND TO YOU. WE WISH TO ADVISE YOU THAT SUCH AN ILLEGAL ACT LIKE THIS HAS TO STOP IF YOU WISH 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 THE NEW PRESIDENT, MR JONATHAN GOODLUCK EBELE AZIKIWE (GCFR) FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION (EFCC) AS WELL AS THE INTERPOL AND FBI.

THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT $1,500,000.00 AS PART PAYMENT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR 2012. 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 PAYMENT. 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 ONE THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED UNITED STATES DOLLARS PER DAY. SO IF YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND IN THIS WAY,
PLEASE LET US KNOW BY CONTACTING THE ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR AND ALSO SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS LISTED BELOW:

1. FULL NAME
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER
3. ADDRESS TO SEND YOUR ATM CARD((P.O BOX NOT ACCEPTABLE)
4. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
5. ATTACH COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION

HOWEVER, KINDLY FIND BELOW THE CONTACT PERSON:
DR.FRANK L.COLLINS.
DIRECTOR, ATM PAYMENT REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
EMAIL: drfranklcollins1@yahoo.co.jp

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

REGARDS,
MR.SADIQ ALMAN CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
EMAIL: mrsadiqalman2012@yahoo.co.jp

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam