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:

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:
- "atmcreditcardoffice@yahoo.com" (this email address looks like addresses used in "ATM SWIFT card" scams)
- "atmcreditcardoffice@yahoo.com" (this email address looks like addresses used in "ATM SWIFT card" scams)
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.
- +22998174075 (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.
- atmcreditcardoffice@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Answer Kenneth" <andy20658@gmail.com>
Reply-To: atmcreditcardoffice@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2015 19:24:31 -0300
Subject: Re-Issuance of Your Upgraded ATM Debit Card Nos; 5416557102001951 &
5490353979870762. (Total Value: US$5,390,000 only. You Can Withdraw Funds
Anywhere)

Card Issuer/Securities Services;
International Banking Department
ATM Regulatory & Compliance Board
Email atmcreditcardoffice@yahoo.com
Tel: +22998174075
Our ref: IMF/T/ATM/COMP/14-CI

Re-Issuance of Your Upgraded ATM Debit Card Nos; 5416557102001951 &
5490353979870762. (Total Value: US$5,390,000 only. You Can Withdraw Funds
Anywhere)

Dear ,

The Audit & Debt Reconciliation Commission has undertaken an independent
performance audit with the authority contained in the IMF/World Bank
Auditor-General Act 1997.

Following the performance audit for the year ended 31 December 2014, while
going through the files, we discovered that a part-payment fund;
US$5.39Million that was processed in your favor by MasterCard (ATM Debit
Card) in 2009 in the following manner and was not released to you.

For more detailed information concerning this payment, Contact us with
your full information's via ( atmcreditcardoffice@yahoo.com ) Or call at
+22998174075.

After we received your reply, we will instruct the card issuing bank to
re-process and re-load your DEBIT cards, funds will be available on the
cards in minutes, which will be dispatched to your designated address. We
will oversee the delivery of the cards to you through our registered and
official courier. Get back to us as soon as possible.
Congratulations.
Mr. Mike Spellman

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam