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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "box office" <officebox04@mailbox.hu>
Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 09:05:32 -0700
Subject: ATM PAYMENT UPDATE


*ATM PAYMENT UPDATE
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT,
INTERNATIONAL CREDIT SETTLEMENT

SIR/MADAM,

THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE VERIFIED YOUR CONTRACT
/INHERITANCE FILE AND FOUND OUT THAT WHY YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR PAYMENT
IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT FUFILLED THE OBLIGATIONS GIVEN TO YOU IN RESPECT OF
YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE PAYMENT.

SECONDLY WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT YOU ARE STILL DEALING WITH THE NONE
OFFICIALS IN THE BANK, ALL IN YOUR ATTEMPT TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF THE FUND
TO YOU. WE WISH TO ADVISE YOU THAT SUCH AN ILLEGAL ACT LIKE THIS HAVE TO
STOP IF YOU WISHES 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 MR. PRESIDENT, ALHAJI UMARU MUSA YARADUA (GCFR) FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF
NIGERIA.

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
TWO 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. FULL ADDRESS (P.O BOX NOT ACCEPTABLE)
3. PHONE AND FAX #
4. YOUR AGE, SEX AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
5. ATTACH COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION*

*HOWEVER, KINDLY FIND BELOW THE CONTACT PERSON: *

*INTEGRATED PAYMENT DEPARTMENT
DR.MATTY ALLEN
**matty.allen1@gmail.com* <matty.allen1@gmail.com>*
TEL:234 8020625930*

*THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT $2,300,000.00 AS
PART PAYMENT FOR THIS QUATER. ALSO FOR YOUR INFORMATION, YOU ARE HEREBY
INSTRUCTED TO STOP ANY FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH ANY OTHER PERSONS OR
OFFICES TO AVOID ANY HITCHES IN RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT.*

*ANY EMAIL FROM ME OR YOU MUST HAVE THIS TRANSACTION CODE (ATM-811) OR ELSE
IT SHOULD BE DISREGARDED, SO YOU MUST INDICATE IT WHEN REPLYING OR ELSE YOUR
EMAIL WILL BE DISREGARDED.
REGARDS.*

*MR.PHILIP ALARIBE
CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT*

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