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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

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

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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)
  • "card center will send you an atm card" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
• 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.
  • +22993567095 (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.
  • contactatmpay_center30@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: johnmark01@freenet.de
Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:00:08 +0100
Subject: CONTACT THEM FOR YOUR ATM


HELLO MY GOOD FRIEND,
NOW WE HAVE ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT OF ( USD$1.5m)
ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS THROUGH SWIFT
CARD PAYMENT CENTER ASIA PACIFIC, 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, SO IF YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND IN THIS
WAY,PLEASE LET ME KNOW BY CONTACTING ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT AND ALSO
SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS LISTED BELOW.
1.FULL
NAME.............................
2.ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND
THE ATM CARD..........................
3.PHONE AND FAX
NUMBER.....................................................
4.YOUR AGE
AND CURRENT
OCCUPATION..........................................
5.ATTACH COPY OF
YOUR
IDENTIFICATION.......................................
HOWEVER,KINDLY
CONTACT THE BELOW PERSON WHO IS IN POSSITION TO RELEASE YOUR ATM PAYMENT
CARD.
REV DR.JUDE AGADA ACCOUNT OFFICER,
ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT

Tell; 00229 93567095
EMAIL:contactatmpay_center30@yahoo.co.uk

THE
ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT YOUR PAYMENT AND
YOU HAVE TO STOP ANY FURTHER COMMINUCATION 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-0411) SO YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS CODE WHEN CONTACTING THE CARD
CENTER BY USING IT AS YOUR SUBJECT.
REGARDS
JOHN MARK

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam