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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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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)
  • "atm payment department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "stamp duty" (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. )
  • "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • infobank02@bk.ru (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: infobank1@freenet.de
Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:57:56 +0100
Subject: ATM LOTTERY PAYMENT NOTIFICATION


Cotonou Benin Republic
FROM THE DESK OF:
MR JOHN ROLAND Contact
Email, infobank02@bk.ru phone (+229)93561465
ATM LOTTERY PAYMENT
NOTIFICATION This is to officially inform you that we have verified
your lottery inheritance file and found out that why you have not
received your lottery payment is because you have not fulfilled the
obligations given to you in respect of your lottery/inheritance
payment.Secondly we have been informed that you are still dealing with
none officials in the bank in all your attempt to secure the release of
the fund to you. I wish to advise you that such an illegal act have to
stop if you wish 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 in that is the latest instruction
from the President federal Republic of BENIN This card center will
send to you an ATM 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 the ATM payment
department 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 instructed to issue out $8,300,000.00 as part payment for this
fiscal year 2008. 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.Use (00229) so you have to indicate
this code when contacting the card center by using it as your subject.
Note that you are to take care of the Courier Shipment Fee and
Customs Stamp Duty Fee Waiting for your urgent response to enable
expedite me action. YOURS SINCERELY, MR JOHN ROLAND
phone
(+229)93561465
Your\'s Sincerely,
Africa Development Bank Cotonou
Republic Du Benin

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam