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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Attn: Beneficiary," (may be fake)
Reply-To: <rev_james_mike@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 09:35:55 +0100
Subject: NOTIFICATION OF PAYMENT BY ATM CARD

 
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,
OCEANIC BANK OF BENIN ,
COTONOU-BENIN REPUBLIC.
 
Attn: Beneficiary,
 
We hereby officially notifying you about the present arrangement to pay you your over due contract/inheritance fund through(ATM CARD)This arrangement was initiated/constituted by the World Bank and Paris Club, due to fruadelent activities going on within the African Region.
 
The World Bank and Paris Club introduced this payment arrangement as to enable our contractors/inheritance beneficiary to receive their fund without any interfference, the ATM CARD are powered by GOLD CARD WORLD WIDE.
 
Upon the receipt of this mail we are going to load your fund into the ATM CARD and send a scan copy of the card to you before we will proceed to despatch the card directly to your nominated home addresss so you absolutely have nothing to worry about all we need is your Prompt Response and Co-operation by Gods Grace we will have a successfull Transaction.
 
In View of this,you are advised to contact the Director (OBB,IRD,ATM) REV.JAMES MIKE for further information with the following contact as soon as you receive this message for further update.
Contact Person: REV.JAMES MIKE
Telephone line:+229-960-014-96
Emails: (rev_james_mike@yahoo.com.hk)
 
Reconfirm the following information to him for Security reason.
 
1)YOUR FULL NAME
2)YOUR RECEIVING ADDRESS.
3)YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER
4)YOUR PROFESSION.
 
Best regards,
Mr.Jim Brown
 

Anti-fraud resources: