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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "the consignment " (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)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +22993790300 (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.
  • info_fenwaycouriercompany33@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: barrmathew15@zipmail.com.br
Date: Sat, 8 Sep 2007 05:49:10 +0200
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?FEN=20WAY=20COURIER=20COMPANY?=

Dear Friend,

Greetings!

I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft of $1,500,000.00 United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you
since that time. Then I went and deposited the Draft with FEN WAY COURIER
COMPANY, Cotonou, Benin Republic before I travelled out of the country for
a 3 Months Course and I will not come back till end of August.

What you have to do now is to contact the FEN WAY COURIER COMPANY as soon
as possible to know when they will deliver your package to you because of
the expiring date.

For your information, I have paid for the delivering Charge, Insurance premium
and Clearance Certificate Fee of the Cheque showing that it is not a Drug
Money or meant to sponsor Terrorist attack in your Country.

The only money you will send to the Courier Company to deliver your Draft
direct to your postal Address in your country is ($105.00 US) One Hundred
& Five United States Dollars only being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier
Company so far.

Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay any other money except $105.00
US Dollars. I would have paid that but they said no because they don't know
when you will contact them and in case of demurrage. However, do not bother
to contact them if you are not willing and ready to now pay this $105.00
and have the consignment delivered to you.

You have to contact the FEN WAY COURIER COMPANY now for the delivery of
your Draft with this information bellow;

Contact Person: Steve Martins Oduwaye
Email Address: (info_fenwaycouriercompany33@yahoo.fr)
Tel/FAX: 00229 9379 0300.

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address and Direct telephone
number to them again to avoid any mistake on the Delivery and ask them to
give you the tracking number to enable you track your package over there
and know when it will get to your address.

Let me repeat again, try to contact them as soon as you receive this mail
to avoid any further delay and remember to pay them their Security Keeping
fee of $105.00 US Dollars for their immediate action.

You should also let me know through email as soon as you receive your Draft.

Yours Faithfully,


BARR MATHEW

Contact Mr. Steve Martins Oduwaye, of FEN WAY COURIER COMPANY now on his
direct phone: 00229 9379 0300

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam