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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:
  • "registration fee" (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. )
  • "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)
  • "million united state dollars" (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)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  • +22993016391 (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_fedex_co@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "james okoye" <jamesokoye05@gala.net>
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:42:45 +0200
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX COURIER COMPANY IMMEDIATELY.


Hello my good friend,
Good day. How are you today?
My name is Mr.James Okoye Iam writing to inform you that I have Paid the
registration fee for your cheque which has been with me for a long time now.
And I went to the bank to confirm if the draft has expired or getting near
to expire and Mr. Justin Yayi the Director of United Bank of Africa told me
that before the cheque will get to your hand that it will expire.


So I told him to cash the $2.5million united state dollars to cash payment
to avoid losing this funds under expiration. However, all the necessary
arrangement for delivering the $2.5million united state dollars in cash was
made with FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY here in Cotonou Benin Republic,
Mr.Justin Yayi the Director of United Bank of Africa Cotonou has to package
the sum of $2.5million USD in cash for you. Then he also help me to Register
the Consignment with FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY Infact I thank God very
much for all the movement I made, every thing went normally.


As for our agreement with the FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY they promised
that your consignment will leave this Country before 5 days from now, But
the Director of the FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY said that they need your
contacts information's to enable them meet up with you immediately the
Diplomat Agents arrived in your Country.


Please write a letter of application to the given address below.
ATTN: DR EDWARD LYNN
Email:(info_fedex_co@yahoo.co.uk)
Tel +229 93 01 63 91

Please Send them your contacts information to enable them locate you
immediately they arrived in your country with your BOX This is what they
needed from you.

YOUR FULL NAME ;
YOUR HOME ADDRESS.WHERE YOU WANT THEM TO DELIVERY THE PACKAGE
YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER. OR CELL
YOUR CURRENT OFFICE TELEPHONE.
A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE ,
YOUR COUNTRY:

Please make sure you send this needed information to the Director general
of FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY DR. EDWARD LYNN with the address given to
you.

Note this. FedEx Courrier Service Company don't know the contents of the
Box. I registered it as a BOX of Africa cloths. They did not know the
contents was money. this is to avoid them delaying with the BOX. Don't let
them know that the box contents was money ok.

I am waiting for your urgent response. You can even call the Director of
FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY with this line: Tel+229-93 01 63 91

Regards.
Mr.James Okoye.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam