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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:
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• 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)
  • "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)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: harrymagana1@freenet.de
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:37:18 +0100
Subject: receive your ATM Master Card.



ATTENTION DEAR.
I have been waiting for you since to come down here
and pick your Bank Draft of 1.500,000.00usd but did not heard from you
since that time then I went and deposited the Draft with INTERNATIONAL
BANK OF BENIN here in Cotonou, Benin Republic, because I travelled to
Japan to see my boss and will not come back till next month end. I have
arranged with them to make your payment to you with their new ATM MASTER
CARD which you can use to withdraw your money in any ATM MACHINE around
the globe/world.
You have to contact the International Bank of Benin
with your full contact informations such as follows:
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
position to release your ATM Master CARD.
REV. DR. John Ike,
DIRECTOR,
ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT
INTERNATIONAL BANK OF BENIN
EMAIL:
atm_depart_ment@live.fr
I had paid for all the processing and delivery
charges, the only money
that your are going to pay to them is only $136
Dollars which they
will use to open your ATM Account with the Bank and
send the ATM Master CARD
to your address.
Try to contact them as soon
as possible to quicken the process of your Card before your Draft gets
Expired.
Let me know as soon as you receive your ATM Master
Card.
Thanks.
Harry Magana

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam