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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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:
  • "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 states 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)
  • "million 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)
  • "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  • +22993203422 (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.
  • courier092@hotmail.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: courier092@hotmail.fr
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2008 07:22:53 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX COURIER COMPANY


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:markhullson@yahoo.com.co



- Hello my good friend Good day How are you today? I am writing to inform you that I have deposited your Cheque Draft with fedex express delivery Company Benin and this is the tag no given to me GTCCB77415.And I went to the bank to confirm if the Cheque has expired or getting near to expire and Mr.Ahmed Zafa the Director of Financial Trust Bank told me that before the cheque will get to your hand that it will expire. So I told him to cash the $1.5 MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS to cash payment to avoid losting this funds.However all the necessary arrangement of delivering the $1.5 MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS in cash was made with FEDEX EXPRESS DELIVERY COMPANY here in Cotonou Benin Republic Mr.Ahmed Zafa the Director of Financial Trust Bank Cotonou have to package the sum of $1.5 million Dollars in cash for me. Then he also agreed to help me to Register the Consignment BOX with FEDEX EXPRESS DELIVERY COMPANY. Infact I thank God very much for all the movement I made every thing goes normally Again i have paid for delivery charges to them ok the only money which your going to paid them is only $120 usd for they company keeping fee of your of your package immedaitely you have contacted them ok As for our agreement with the FEDEX EXPRESS DELIVERY COMPANY they promised that your consignment BOX will leave this Country on monday next week you can coperate with them But the Director of the FEDEX EXPRESS DELIVERY COMPANY said that they need your contacts informations to able them meet up with you immediately the Diplomat Agent arrived to your Country. below Here is Fedex express deliver company address for you to contact them urgent for delivery of your consignment box. Contact perason Mr David Morris TEl: 00229-93203422 EMAIL: (courier092@hotmail.fr) Please Send them your contacts information to able them locate you immediately they arrived in your country with your BOX .This is what they need from you. 1.YOUR FULL NAME 2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS. 3.YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER. 4.YOUR CURRENT OFFICE TELEPHONE. 5.A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE Please make sure you send this needed informations to the Director general of fedex express delivery Company Mr David Morris with this address given to you. Note.Fedex Exprss delivery company don't know the contents of the consignment Box. because I registered it with them as a BOX of an Africa clothes. They don't know that the box contents money inside ok this is to avoid them delaying with the BOX please don't let them know that your consignment box contents money inside until you have received in your door step for security reason because $1.5million usd is not small amount of money REGARDS MARK

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam