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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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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
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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:
  • "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 service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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)
• 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.
  • +22993408257 (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_ccltd001@yahoo.it (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "john chiname" <johnchiname33@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 13:57:48 +0100
Subject: contact fedex shipping company now


ODAWA & COUNSELORS AT L
06 BP 1409 AKPAKPA DODOMEY
WEST AFRICA COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
EMAIL: fedex_ccltd001@yahoo.it)
PHONE:+229 93408257

Greetings!
I have been waiting for you ever since to contact me for your Confirmable
Bank Draft of $800.000.00
United States Dollars, but I haven't heard from you since that time. So I
went and
deposited the Draft with FEDEX COURIER SERVICE, West Africa. Meanwhile, I've
travelled out of the
country for a 3 Months Course and will not be back till the end of May.

What I would advise you to do now is to contact the FEDEX COURIER SERVICE as
soon as possible to
know when they would commence the delivery of your package to you because of
the expiry date. For
your information, I have paid for the delivery Charges, Insurance premium
and Clearance
Certificate fee of the draft showing that it is neither connected to Drug
Money nor meant to
sponsor any terrorist attack in your Country. The only money you will send
to the FEDEX COURIER
SERVICE to deliver your Draft direct to your postal Address in your country
is ($125 ) US Dollars
only being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier Company so far. Again, don't
be deceived by
anybody to pay any money more than $125 US Dollars for the Security Keeping
Fee of the Courier
Company.

I would have paid that but I was denied of it as they argued that they don't
know when you will
contact them in the case of any demurrage. You have to contact the FEDEX
COURIER SERVICE now for
the delivery of your Draft with this information below;

Contact Person: D rDavid Ugochukwu
Email Address: (fedex_ccltd001@yahoo.it)
Phone +229-934-082-57
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 inform you of
when your package would
get to your address once it is on
transit.

Let me repeat again, try to contact them as soon as you receive this mail to
avoid further delay
and remember to pay them their Security Keeping fee of $125 US Dollars for
their immediate
action.
And also ask them to send you the tracking numer of your package ones they
move to your country
to able you tracking to know where and when it will arrive ok.You should
also let me know through
email as soon as you receive your Draft.
SHIPMENT CODE AWB 33XZS
PACKAGE REGISTERED CODE NO XGT442.
SECURITY CODE SCTC/2001DHX/567/
TRANSACTION CODE 233/CSTC/101/33028/
CERTIFICATE DEPOSIT CODE SCTC/BUN/xxiv/-78/01
Thanks and God bless you and your family.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr. John.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam