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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:

Fraud email example:

From: ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT FINANCIAL BANK <interl.departm2@msn.com>
Date: Sat, 28 May 2011 13:05:54 +0400
Subject: YOUR ATM CARD WILL BE AT YOUR DOOR STEP WITHIN 3HOURS.

ATTEN PLEASE.


WE RECEIVE THE EMAIL THAT YOU SENT AND THE INFORMATIONS. WHAT YOU ARE
TALKING IS RIGHT, TODAY WE WILL HELD A MEETING WITH BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
FINANCIAL BANK CONCERNING TO THIS EFFECT BY 9AM TODAY BEEN 28TH OF MAY,
2010. AGAIN, THE PERSON INCHARGE OF YOUR ATM CARD, WE PREFER WESTERN UNION
TO SEND THE MONEY, FOR IMMEDAITE PICKUP , AND THIS FEE IS $42 AND IT WILL
TAKE CARE OF THE EVERY THINGS./ DELIVERY AND DC CLEARANCE DOCUMENT . PLEASE
NOTE THAT 2 LADIES CAME TO OUR OFFICE THIS MORNING WHEN WE WERE HELDING A
METTING WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CLAIM THAT YOU ARE DEAD THAT WE
SHOULD GIVE THEM ALL THE DOCUMENTS AND YOUR ATM CARD AND WE REFUSE THAT
THEY ARE IN THE POLICE CUSTUDY NOW. SO YOU HAVE TO COMPLY NOW SO THAT WE
CAN FINISHUP THIS BY TODAY WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY AGAIN. YOU ARE ADVICE
TO SEND THE FEE VIA WESTERN UNION ONLY WITH THE BELOW DETAILS.

SENDERS NAME: ---------------------
RECEIVERS NAME: SAMPSON AKUSHIE
TEXT QUESTION: WHAT FOR?
ANSWER: DC.
DESTINATION COUNTRY: BENIN REPUBLIC
AMOUNT: $42
MTCN:--------------------------------.

I PROMISE YOU THAT AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE THIS MONEY TODAY, YOUR ATM CARD
WILL BE AT YOUR DESTINATION ADDRESS WITHIN 3HOURS COUNTING FROM THE TIME WE
RECEIVE THE MONEY. PLEASE KINDLY RECONFIRM US YOUR FULL DETAILS AND DIRECT
TELEPHONE NUMBER SO THAT WE CAN STICK IT TO OUR RECORD TODAY, YOU HAVE TO
SEND THE MONEY ON TIME TODAY SO THAT WE CAN SEND YOUR ATM CARD DIRECTLY TO
YOU DESTINATION ADDRESS ON TIME TODAY AFTER THE MEETTING. SEND US THE
MTCN/PAYMENT DETAILS WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY AGAIN AS SOON AS YOU SEND US
THE MONEY TODAY. PLEASE CALL AGENT NAME: PAUL GEORGE. TELE: +1
206-426-6305. Fax: +1 206-426-6017, HE WILL ATTENT TO YOU FOR THE DELIVERY
THIS MORNING.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF FINANCIAL BANK CONCERNING YOUR ATM CARD TODAY
HELD A MEETTING, YOUR ATM CARD WILL BE AT YOUR DOOR STEP WITHIN 3HOURS BY
THE PERSON INCHARGE OF YOUR ATM CARD BY TODAY, YOUR ATM CARD WILL BE AT
YOUR DESTINATION ADDRESS WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY AGAIN. YOU HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND THAT AS SOON AS YOU SEND THIS MONEY TODAY WITHIN 3HOURS, YOUR
ATM CARD WILL BE AT YOUR DOOR STEP. PLEASE CALL ME AS SOON AS THE MONEY IS
SENT OR YOU WRITE ME AN EMAIL WITH THE PAYMENT DETAILS BY TODAY WITHOUT ANY
FURTHER DELAY AGAIN.

I HAVE CONTACTED OUR OFFICE FOR YOUR PIN NUMBER AND I HAVE THE DOCUMENT
AND THE ASSURRANCE THAT IF YOU SEND THIS MONEY TODAY, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO
SEND ANY MORE MONEY AGAIN.

WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.

BEST REGARDS
MR. PETER WILLIAMS

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