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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

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:
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "insurance fee " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "vat (5%)" (VAT rate in the UK is 17.5%, check the math)
  • "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. 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 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!
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• 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.
  • +447035903046 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: EXCELLENT COURIER UNIT <courier_deliverydept09@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2007 20:17:01 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Excellent Express Courier:**Description Of Parcel/Payment Directives**



Excellent dispatch Services
HEAD OFFICE
Unit 6, Marino Way,
Hogwood Lane Industrial Estate,
Finchampstead, Berkshire
RG40 4RF, United Kingdom


Attention Ms Nadine Kaestler,

Welcome to Excellence Couriers Services.We are a well established company offering courier and transport services 24 hour a day for priority delivery of letters, parcels and consignments to any destination by road, air or sea.

You are to please confirm your winning information below if they are yours in other for us to validate it into our database delivery system.




PARCEL/NUM/3232

Batch number........YM 09102XN
Reff number.........YM 35447XN
Winning number......YM09788.





We have a substantial team of couriers available for motorcycle dispatch plus van driver couriers in all size vehicles from small vans upto 7.5 tone and international couriers for dispatch by road, sea or air.This is to inform you that we are in possession of a certified parcel with identification number parcel/num/3232 which is to be forwarded to you.

Your particulars have been received in this office from the microsoft-yahoo UK incorporations. This means that you have been officially cleared for payment by the Verifications Dept. at the headquarters of the MICROSOFT-YAHOO UK ONLINE LOTTERY PROMOTIONS. Your winning check, original copy of your winning 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 Lottery promotion will be sent to you.

We will only deliver the parcel to the address you have given us and who ever will be receiving the parcel must have a valid identification of him/herself.


To begin the final step of the claims process,
Below are the mandatory charges that you required to pay to enable us courier your certified parcel to you. You are allowed to choose one of our three specified shipment options.





EXCELLENT GOLD DELIVERY Mailing £200.00 00.00 Insurance £425.00 00.00 Vat (5%) £100.29 00.00 TOTAL £625.40 00.00

THE COST OF DELIVERY FOR TWO WORKING DAYS

Currency Converter Results
United Kingdom Pounds(625.40 GBP)
United States Dollars(1,216.65 USD)



EXCELLENT CLASSIC DELIVERY
Mailing £200.00 00.00 Insurance £310.00 00.00 Vat (5%) £100.16 00.00 TOTAL £510.40 00.00

THE COST OF DELIVERY FOR THREE WORKING DAYS

Currency Converter Results
United Kingdom Pounds (£510.40)

United States Dollars (1,100.37 USD)






EXECELLENT PREMIUN DELIVERY Mailing £200.00 00.00 Insurance £150.00 00.00 Vat (5%) £100.00 00.00 TOTAL £450.00 00.00



THE COST OF DELIVERY FOR SIX WORKING DAYS

Currency Converter Results
United Kingdom Pounds (£450.00GBP)

United States Dollars (920.00 USD)





Note:Excellent Service do not carry out Cash On Delivery (C.O.D) facilities as all payments must be forwarded and confirmed at our Accounts Department before shipment can commence.Insurance on your parcel is compulsory because the financial status of the parcel.

Shipping our parcel without insurance will be an illegal act on our part. This means payment for the insurance fee must be made before shipment can commence to avoid risk. We can not afford to pay for your parcel if anything goes wrong. This is why your parcel must be insured with the British Insurance Ministry.

Indicate your shipment option. for delivery within four (4) working days from this communication or your winnings will be returned to the lottery board

PAYMENT MODE
We only give our company account when dealing with afflitiated
organisations and companies ,for some security reasons.

Payment for the insurance and delivery charges should be made via WESTERN UNION, to our account officer whose details are stated below. visit any western union outlet close to you to make this payment.

Name: Mr.Solomon Weaver.
Address:Unit 6, Marino Way,Hogwood Lane Industrial Estate, UNITED KINGDOM.


You are required to send the payment informations and a scan copy of your payment receipt to this office via e-mail or the payment informations sent in this format

[1]Name and address of sender
[2]Amount sent
[3]Control number(MTCN)
[4]Test question and answer (if any)


Immediately our Accounts Department confirms your payment, your parcel will be insured and approved for dispatch. We look forward to hearing from you soonest.


This company decline reverse payment for these charges, stating that it is against their professional policy towards ensuring the safe delivery of the cheque 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 recoverthe full value of the fund as stipulated in the cheque since payment for insurance cover was not made at point of mailing.With the above reason,reverse payment is ruled out.

NOTE:All orders not delivered within four (4) working days from this communication will be returned to the lottery organisation. Do acknowledge the receipt of this mail.

We are glad to be of service to you and have a nice day.







Mr.Nick Ward

Dispatch Officer
Please do call customer line for confirmation

Tel : +44-70359-03046










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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam