419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- atmmastercard2012@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "SENATOR MIKE JOSEPH OJO" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <atmmastercard2012@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 07:07:23 -0800
Subject: =?utf-8?B?U3BhbTogQXR0bjogQVRNIGNhcmQgQmVuZWZpY2lhcnkg?=
=?utf-8?B?ISFhc2Fw?=

FROM THE DESK OF SENATOR MIKE JOSEPH OJO
HONORABLE SENATOR FOREIGN PAYMENT
SETTLEMENT BOARD HOUSE OF SENATE
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

Attn: ATM card Beneficiary.

Ref: Payment/notification/2012

RE: NOTIFICATION OF READINESS OF PAYMENT BY INTERNATIONAL ATM CARD.

Dear Beneficiary,

This is to inform you that your payment entitlement of has been fully
withdrawn from the Remittance Department of the Central Bank After
several complains from Foreign beneficiaries through the Attorney
General of the Federation, the High commission in the UK and also the
United Nations Secretary General. This funds where yesterday returned
to the Federal Ministry of Finance reserve account with the Central
Bank of Nigeria.

After a just concluded meeting amongst the Federal House of Senator, I
Senator Mike Joseph Ojo has been appointed to head this federal Board
in regards to the settlement of your entitlement upon it return back
to the Government purse with the central Bank of Nigeria. Because of
so many International Banking rules unfavorable to 3rd world countries
like Nigeria in regards to transfer of large amount of monies, the
federal Republic of Nigeria via the federal Government has decided to
settle all foreign payment by the issuance of an International Valid
ATM CARD from a reliable Bank here in Nigeria.

This would allow and enable all beneficiaries to access there ATM CARD
from any ATM machine in any part of the world. As soon as the below
information is secured from you, it would be passed to the appointed
bank to issue an International ATM CARD in your favor and it would be
sent to you via a courier company for delivery.(YOU ARE TO PAY FOR THE DELIVERY PACKAGE) The below information
is required from you,

1, Your Full names
2, your full billing address
3, your direct phone number
4, your occupation
5, your ID/passport

This information is to be made available immediately so that your ATM
CARD can be issued under the provided name and also delivered to the
provided address. You will be sent a copy of the international ATM
CARD by email attachment as soon as it is issue and also before it is
dispatched.

Regards
SENATOR MIKE JOSEPH OJO
HONORABLE SENATOR FOREIGN PAYMENT
SETTLEMENT BOARD HOUSE OF SENATE
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
EMAIL:atmmastercard2012@yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam