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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "FedEx" <fedexredstar1199@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: fedexdepartunit@w.cn
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:22:49 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Confirmable Bank Draft of $800,000.00 United States Dollars!!

Greetings!
I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft of $800,000.00 United States Dollars,but I did not hear from you
since that time. Then I went and deposited the Draft with FedEx Courier
Service, West Africa, I travelled out of the country for a six Months
Course.
What you have to do now is to contact the FedEx Courier Service 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 Fees 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 FedEx Courier Service to deliver your
Draft direct to your postal Address in your country is ($165.00 US)
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
$165.00 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 Service now for the delivery of your Draft
with this information bellow;
Contact Person: Mr.Maxwell Brian
Email Address: fedexdepartunit@w.cn
Tel:+2348086524186
Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your name, address, occupation and
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 $165.00 US Dollars for their immediate action. You should also let
me know through email as soon as you receive your Draft.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr.Leonard Jefferson


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