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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)
  • "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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • wbankbj@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: JOHN COCO <johnco1000@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <johnco54@yahoo.fr>
Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:51:04 +0000
Subject: God bless you.



Dear friend,
We happily inform you about our (Guinness National Lottery Program) 2007, which you enterd as a dependent client and finally took the 1st position in our second category winners, that falls within the West African Region.
Your email was attached to the ticket number(GNLP 42580074) which made you a winner of 2.5 million dollars and You have been approved the sum of US$2.5million dollars which will be sent across to you through cashier Cheque immediately.
I have paid for the delivery fee for your draft but the management of Continental Bank Benin the payment center told me that before the cheque will get to you it will expire. I told the bank to cash US$2.5 for all the necessary arrangement of delivering the US$2.5 in cash, Because your Cheque was issued by Logistics Management International Company. Be inform that there are some documents to be secured by the (World Bank Diplomatic Service) before they will be able to deliver your fund in cash to your door step in your country . Do contact them and let me know when you have receive your fund, below is the needed information to enable them deliver your fund to you immediately. WORLD BANK DIPLOMATIC SERVICE BENIN._____________________________________________________BENIN REPUBLIC COTONOUNO 38 BANK AVENE, WEST AFRICA.TEL:00 229 93413052 .E-MAIL: ( wbankbj@yahoo.fr ) ______________________________________________________ Give them your address; 1.YOUR FULL NAME2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS.3.YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER.4.A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE5.CURRENT MAILING ADDRESS6.A PAGE OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT FOR IDENTIFICATION. I hope to hear from you soon as you receive your fund and God bless you. Best Regard
Barrister:John Coco ( Esq )

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam