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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:
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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found 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. )
  • "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 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.
  • +22993013336 (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.
  • gtcc_benin_101@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: who are you 1990 <johnpaula018@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <gtcc_benin_101@yahoo.fr>
Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:12:47 +0100
Subject: CONTACT GLOBAL TRUST COURIER COMPANY FOR YOUR PACKAGE.



Attn: Dear friend,
Good day, How are you today? I am writing to inform you that I have Paid for thedelivery fee for your Cheque Draft.but the manager of Eco Bank Benin told methat before the check will get to you that it will expire.So i told him to cash$1.5 Million us dollar all the necessary arrangement of delivering the $1.5 Million us dollar in cash was made with GLOBAL TRUST COURIER COMPANY.
Be inform that there are some documents to be secured the only fee you have tosend to them is $155 USd which will serve as the insurance, and claims ofaffadvite to enable them deliver the parcel to you immediately.
Do contact them and let me know when you have recieve your fund, below is theneeded information to enable them deliver your fund to you immediately.
GLOBAL TRUST COURIER COMPANY DIRECTORDR.CHRIS HEBERT.TEL: +229-9301-3336.EMAIL: gtcc_benin_101@yahoo.fr
YOUR FULL NAMEYOUR HOME ADDRESS.YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER.A COPY OF YOUR PICTUREYOUR CURRENT MAILING ADDRESS
Do let me know immediately you receive your consignment that consist your fundthat i deposited in the shalom courier company so that we can share the joytogether.
BEST REGARDS,
JOHN PAUL.SECREATARY.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam