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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:
  • "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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "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)
  • "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "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 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.
  • +22998748941 (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.
  • oceanicbank.atm38@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "DR TONY GEORGE" <dr_tony_george002@ig.com.br>
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 08:30:02 +0200
Subject: DIRECTOR, ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT


*
*






*OCEANIC BANK PLC,BENIN REPUNLIC*
# 5247 RUE BP, AKPAKPA,COTONOU BENIN
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN
**
**
*ATTENTION: HONOURABLE BENEFICIARY,*

*THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE VERIFIED YOUR CONTRACT
/INHERITANCE FILE AND FOUND OUT THAT WHY YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR PAYMENT
IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT FUFILLED THE OBLIGATIONS GIVEN TO YOU IN RESPECT OF
YOUR CONTRACT/INHERITANCE PAYMENT.
*
*RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT THROUGH OUR SWIFT CARD PAYMENT
CENTER AFRICA PACIFIC, THAT IS THE LATEST INSTRUCTION FROM OUR PRESIDENT ,
DR YAYI BONI FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN.

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 RECIEVE YOUR
FUND THIS WAY PLEASE LET US KNOW BY CONTACTING THE CARD PAYMENT CENTER AND
ALSO SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

1. YOUR FULL NAME
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER
3. ADDRESS WHERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD (P.O BOX IS NOT
ACCEPTABLE)
4. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
5. A COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION

HOWEVER, KINDLY FIND BELOW THE CONTACT PERSON:

DR. ADISA RICHMOND
DIRECTOR, ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT
EMAIL: **oceanicbank.atm38@yahoo.fr* <oceanicbank.atm38@yahoo.fr>
*DIRECT PHONE: +229-987 489 41*

*THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT $1,000,000.00
AS FIRST PART QUATER PAYMENT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR 2007. ALSO FOR YOUR
INFORMATION, YOU HAVE TO STOP ANY FURTHER COMMINUCATION WITH ANY OTHER
PERSON(S) OR OFFICE(S) TO AVOID ANY HITCHES IN RECEIVING YOUR ATM PAYMENT.

FOR ORAL DISCUSSION, 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- 4555) SO YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS CODE WHEN CONTACTING THE
CARD CENTER BY USING IT AS YOUR SUBJECT.

REGARDS,

DR. WISKKY DOMY*
*CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE BANK
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam