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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
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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.

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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "required fee " (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 ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
  • "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 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.
  • +22993890782 (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.
  • atmheadoffice01@list.ru (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "info.ef.bj" <info.ef.bj@orange.nl>
Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:20:52 +0100 (CET)
Subject: Immediate ATM DEBIT Cash Card Payment Notification



From the desk of: Mr Donna
International Settlement Dept.
Oceanic bank international plc
Direct Tel:+229-93-89-07-82
Re:Immediate ATM DEBIT Cash Card Payment Notification

ATTENTION
ORDERING BENEFICIARY ATTN: ,

Your Name And Your Contact Details Was Given To This Office In Respect Of Your Total lnherited/Contract Sum Owed To You Which You Have Failed To Claim Because Of Either Non-Compliance Of Official Processes Or Because Of Your Unbelief Of The Reality Of Your Genuine Payment.

We Wish To Bring To You Th e Solution To This Problem. Right Now We Have Arranged Your Payment Through Our Swift Card Payment Centers, That Is The Latest Instruction From Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS)

This Card Center Will Send To You An ATM DEBIT Card Which You Will Use To Withdraw Your Money In Any ATM Machine In Any Part Of The World, So If You Like To Receive Your Fund In This Way, Please Let Us Know By Contacting Us Back And Also Send The Following Information As Listed Below.

1. Full Name
2. Phone And Fax Number
3. Address Were You Want Them To Send The ATM Card To (P.O Box Not Acceptable)
4. Your Age And Current Occupation
5. Attach Copy Of Your Identification

We Have Been Mandated By The ECOWAS Parliament To Issue Out $1.5m usd Million in your favour This fiscal year 2007 In sead of the previous amount. Also For Your Information, You Have To Stop Any Further Communication With Any Other Person (S) Or Office(S) To Avoid Any Hitches In Receiving Your Payment.

Note That Because Of Impostors, We Hereby Issued You Our Code Of Conduct, Which Is (ATM-202) So You Have To Indicate This Code When Contacting The Card Center By Using It As Your Subject. It will cost you only $250 for shipment of the card to your doorstep. ================================================
S SOON AS I CONFIRM THE REQUIRED INFORMATION I WILL DIRECT YOU ON HOW YOU ARE GOING TO SEND THE REQUIRED FEE FOR IMMEDIATE DESPATCH OF YOUR ATM PAYMENT ================================================ You are advice to contact me Via my private
address below.. atmheadoffice01@list.ru
Mr Donna
International Settlement Dept.
Oceanic bank international plc.
Direct Tel:+229-93-89-07-82

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam