419 scam: Barrister Patrick Williams <hmrc.refund@acresninches.com> Welcome to ATM Card Payment Centre.

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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.

Fraud email example:

From: Barrister Patrick Williams <hmrc.refund@acresninches.com>
Reply-To: Barrister Patrick Williams <atmcard322@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2015 00:15:28 +0530 (IST)
Subject: Welcome to ATM Card Payment Centre.

Welcome to ATM Card Payment Center.
>From The Desk of
Barrister Patrick Williams
International Settlement Dept.
United Bank Of Africa International Pl c

Thank you so very much for your action response, In reference to my previous email, which I informed you that we have proceeded for the issuance arrangements of the ATM Swift card, in accordance with the provision act of decree 114 of the 1999 constitution, and considering the fact that your payment verification and confirmations corresponds with the one in our Office file, therefore, we proceeds and have finalized every arrangements in respect of the ATM Card.

It is our pleasure to inform you that ATM Card Number; 5428 - 0500 -1100- 4432 has been approved and upgraded in your favor this morning. Your Secret PIN Number is 5179. The ATM Card Value is $4.8.M SUD Only to the ATM CARD. You are advised that a maximum withdrawal value of thousandths Usd is permitted on withdrawal per day. We are duly inter-switched until your fund is completed withdrawal by you; therefore you can make withdrawal in any location of ATM Center and cash point of your choice.

We have concluded delivery arrangement with Federal Government Delivery Services DEL COURIER COMPANY, and we were made to understand that the ATM Card will be fully insured by Nicon Insurance Corporation. So in view of this development, you are requested to immediately offset the delivery and insurance charges of $150 USD by Western Union Money Transfer through the DH COURIER COMPANY given payment instruction as follows; Note that you will be able to make the pay men so that your ATM CARD will be arrive this country to your door step. please Note that it will be 3DAYS before it reach at your home address. Thank You

HERE IS THE DEL COURIER COMP NAY GIVEN PAYMENT INSTRUCTION AS FOLLOWS FOR INSURANCE CHARGE.

RECEIVER NAME.....SAMUEL LUKEL
COUNTRY...........BENIN REPUBLIC.
CITY..........COTONOU.
TEXT QUESTION.....WHEN.
TEXT ANSWER........NOW.
AMOUNT..............$150USD
SENDER NAME.....
MTCN....

Please we need your address where to deliver your ATM CARD to avoid any problem.
Send the MTCNNumber to this office for further action. Be informed that delivery will be made to your address
within 3DAYS after our confirmation of this payment for insurance and delivery.
And note that your valid ID card must be presented to the dispatchers before release will be done. Attached
Awaiting your urgent compliance to our instruction

Thanks for Your Co-operation
Barrister Patrick Williams

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam