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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "cost of mailing your draft" (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "express courier delivery" (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "payment for the courier" (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "vat (5%)" (VAT is 17.5% in the UK but 5% in Nigeria)
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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. )
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!

Fraud email example:

From: MR BILLY MOOORE <agent_claimsoffice@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 08:49:05 +0100 (BST)
Subject: DELIVERY OPTIONS



You are welcome to ELITEXpress courier delivery service.



ELITEXPRESS COURIER DELIVERY SERVICE


14th May 2007

ATTENTION: Hewitt Frueler,


This is to inform you that you have been officially cleared for payment by the Verifications Dept. at the headquarters of the EURO MILLION E-LOTTERY.
The original copy of this certificate, together with a covering document (Money Laundering protection and Letter of Affidavit for Claims) from the British government stating that the money was obtained legally through their National Lotto will be sent to you and the bank as soon as you meet with any of the option selected and your winnings will be couriered to you immediately. You can now begin the final step of the claims process, which is the delivery of your cheque prize to you. With regards to this.

The options, together with their associated conditions are presented below:


Option 1: COURIER DELIVERY
Courier of your winning details to you via any of this channel listed below:



ELITEXPRESS (2working days)

Mailing £175.00 00.00 Insurance £200.00 00.00 Vat (5%) £176.75 00.00 TOTAL £551.75 00.00


ELITEXPRESS (3 working days)
Mailing &n bsp £90.00 00.00 Insurance £300.00 00.00 Vat (5%) £98.95 00.00 TOTAL £499.95 00.00

The insurance company declined reverse payment for the courier, stating that it is against their professional policy towards ensuring the safe delivery of the draft to you. That if a reverse payment is made, and something goes wrong, that we/you cannot sue the courier company or insurance company to recover the full value of the fund as stipulated in the draft since payment for insurance cover was not made at point of mailing.With the above reason, reverse payment is ruled out.Forward the cost of mailing your draft with
any of the courier channel cost you choose above to us.



ELITEXPRESS COURIER DELIVERY SERVICE©

MR ,Adams Anderson
(OPERATING MANAGER)


Good luck and Congratulations once again. Please send your response within the next 6hrs to this same email address.
BEST REGARDS





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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam