419 scam: "George C. Venizelos."<obraaten@bevcomm.net> FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FORM)

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "contact the atm card 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)
- "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)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "atm.centre00@live.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +2347084941206 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "George C. Venizelos." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <atm.centre00@live.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 21:13:54 +0100
Subject: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FORM)

<img src="http://newyork.fbi.gov/images/banner_new_york.jpg">
Anti-Terrorist and Monetory Crimes Division. 
Federal Bureau of Investigation. 
26 Federal Plaza, 23rd Floor 
New York, NY 10278-0004 
Phone: (347) 783-6375

 
Dear Beneficiary,
 
This is to Officially inform you that it has come to our notice and we have thoroughly Investigated by the help of our
Intelligence Monitoring Network System that you are having an illegal Transaction with Imposters claiming to be governors
of the Central Bank Of Nigeria, officials of some banks and organisations in Nigeria, some of them even claim to be from
the Federal Bureau of Investigation. During our Investigation, it came to our notice that the reason why you have not
received your payment is because you have not fulfilled your Financial Obligation giving to you in respect of your
Contract/Inheritance Payment.
 
So therefore, we have contacted the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Finance on your behalf and they have brought a solution
to your problem by arranging your payment in total of US$800,000.00 in an ATM CARD which you will use to withdraw money in
anywhere of the world. You now have the lawful right to claim your fund in the ATM CARD. 
 
All I did want you to do is proceed and contact the ATM CARD CENTER via email for their requirements to proceed and
procure your Approval Slip on your behalf which will cost you $350.00 USD only and note that your Approval Slip contains
details of your PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (PIN) which you will use in activating your ATM CARD in any ATM MACHINE in
the United States Of America.
 
CONTACT INFORMATION 
 

NAME: MR. JAMES EDWARD 
EMAIL: atm.centre00@live.com 
PHONE: +234-708-494-1206
 

This ATM CARD CENTER will send you an ATM CARD which you will use to withdraw money in any part of the world, but the
maximum twenty thousand five hundred dollars per day. 
 

If you wish to receive your funds in your ATM SWIFT CARD, kindly use the above information to contact Mr. James Edward,
the director of the ATM CARD CENTER and provide him with the below information.
 
1. Your Full Name: 
2. Full Address For ATM Card delivery: 
3. Phone/ Fax #: 
4. Age: 
5. Gender: 
6. Occupation:
 

As soon as you have contacted and provided the ATM CARD CENTER with the required info and approval slip fee of $350 USD,
they will make your ATM SWIFT CARD available and shipped to your doorstep via FedEx Regular Mail immediately.
 

We order you get back to this office after you open contact with the ATM SWIFT CARD CENTER and we do await your response
so we can move on with our Investigation and make sure your ATM SWIFT CARD gets to you. 
 
Thanks and hope to read from you soon.

 
<img src="http://newyork.fbi.gov/images/venizelos.jpg">
Assistant Director in Charge (Acting). 
George C. Venizelos. 
Phone: (347) 783-6375
 
Note: ****Do disregard any email you get from any imposter or office claiming to be in possession of your ATM CARD, you
are advised only to be in contact with Mr. James Edward of the ATM CARD CENTER who is the rightful person you are suppose
to deal with in regards your ATM CARD PAYMENT and forward any email you get from imposters to this office so we could act
upon and commence investigation.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam