419 scam: "John Lewis"<lewis.john@london.com> CONFIRMATION OF US$1, 200.000.00 RELEASE

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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)
- "fund beneficiary" (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 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.
- johnson.alex@consultant.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "John Lewis" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnson.alex@consultant.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2012 18:46:57 +0200
Subject: CONFIRMATION OF US$1, 200.000.00 RELEASE

UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION
1775 K ST NW # 400
WASHINGTON D.C., DC 20006-1500, UNITED STATES

Dear Email Owner/Fund Beneficiary,

IRREVOCABLE PAYMENT ORDER VIA ATM CARD

We have actually been authorized by the newly appointed United Nation secretary general, and the governing body of the UNITED NATIONS Monetary Unit, to investigate the unnecessary delay on your payment, recommended and approved in your favor. During the course of our investigation, we discovered with dismay that your payment has been unnecessarily Delayed by corrupt officials of the Bank who are Trying to divert your funds into their private accounts.

To forestall security and unnecessarily delay again, your funds has been loaded in the ATM VISA CARD and personal Identification PIN number assign to it, this will enable only you to have direct Control over your funds in the ATM CARD. We will monitor this payment ourselves to avoid the hopeless situation created by the corrupt bank officials.

An irrevocable payment guarantee has been issued by the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on your Payment. However, we are happy to inform you that based on our recommendation/ Instructions, your complete funds have been credited in your favor through ATM VISA CARD.

You are therefore advice to contact:

Mr. Alex Johnson,
Director ATM Payment Department
(HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATIONS (HSBC)
Email Address: johnson.alex@consultant.com
TEL: 0044 703 594 5997

Contact Mr. Alex Johnson now for the delivery of your ATM Card. As soon as you establish a contact with him, an ATM card will be issued to you immediately which you can use to withdraw your funds in any VISA ATM Machine any part of the world.
NOTE: You are advised to furnish Mr. Trueman Brown with your correct and valid details in the requested information below. We expect your urgent response to this email to enable us monitor this payment effectively.

1. Your Full Name:
2. Address Where the ATM Card will be delivered:
3. Your Age:
4. Occupation:
5. Telephone Numbers:

Congratulations.
Mr. John Lewis
United Nations.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam