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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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

• 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)
  • "card center will send you an atm card" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (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.
  
• 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.
  • +23417628917 (Nigeria, landline)
• 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.
  • mjdesk@sify.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Office Matters" <infopoint8@klikni.cz>
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 05:51:43 -0700
Subject: Your Payment By Atm Card.


From The Desk of the Director.
Cbn Atm Dept:Mr.Peter Morris.
Tel: 234-1-762-8917
Lagos.Nigeria.


Attn: Beneficiary,

This is to officially inform you that we have verified your payment file and
found out that why you have not received your payment is because you have
not fulfilled the obligations given to you in respect of your
contract/inheritance payment.

Secondly we have been informed that you are still dealing with the none
officials in the bank. We wish to advise you that such an illegal act like
these 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 Asia pacific that is the latest
instruction from the Foreign Debt Payment Committee. 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, but the maximum is one thousand five
hundred dollars per day, so if you like to receive your fund this way please
let us know by contacting the Managing Director ATM Card Payment Center
Central Bank of Nigeria Plc Mr.Jude Okoh on this Tel: 234-1-762-8917,
E-mail address: mjdesk@sify.com and also send the following information:
1. YOUR FULL NAME
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER
3. ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD
4. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION

The ATM card payment center has been mandated to issue out USD2.3million as
part payment for this fiscal
year 2007. 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. For oral discussion, call and email me back as soon
as you receive this important message for further direction and also update
me on any development from the above-mentioned office. Note that because of
impostors, we hereby issued you our code of conduct,which is (ATM-822) so
you have to indicate this code when contacting the card center by using it
as your subject.

Sincerely Yours,
Mr.Peter Morris.
Director.Cbn Atm Dept.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam