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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.

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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:
  • "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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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 "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
• 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.
  • +22993852144 (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.
  • fedex.service01@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: ugoeze135@zipmail.com.br
Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2008 17:57:06 +0100
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?CONTCAT=20FEDEX=20COURIER=20COMPANY=20FOR=20YOUR=20FUND?=

Goodday!
I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft of$1.200,000 United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you since
that time. Then I went to the bank to confirm if the draft has expired or
getting near to expire and Mr. Justin Yayi the Director Bank of Africa told
me that before the draft will get to your hand that it will expire. So I
told him to cash the $1.200,000 USD UNITED STATES DOLLARS to cash payment
to avoid losing this funds under expiration as I will be out out of the
country for a 3 Months Course and I will not come back till end of January
2008.
What you have to do now is to contact the FEDEX 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 Consignment
direct to your postal Address in your country is ($95.00 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 $95.00 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.
You have to contact the FEDEX COURIER COMPANY now for the delivery of your
Draft with this information bellow;
NAME:FEDEX COURIER DELIVERING COMPANY.
ATTANTION: PERSON: DR.Douglas Hall
POSITION: FOREIGN DELIVERY DEPARTMENT.
ADDRESS: COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC
E-MAIL:(fedex.service01@yahoo.fr)
Tel/FAX: +229 93 852144
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 $95.00 US Dollars for their immediate
action.
Note this.
Yours Faithfully,
Rev.Ugo Eze.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam