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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: Visual Dispatch Delivery <info.customercare@dispatchdelivery.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2007 06:54:10 +0000
Subject: Choose Delivery Option




VISUAL DISPATCH DELIVERIES
Victoria House 144-146 Beddington Lane Croydon CR0 4TD United Kingdom
Tel: +44 701 1121594


Dear Heather M. Cook


Your reference number has been confirmed. This means that you have been officially cleared for payment by the Verifications Dept. at the headquarters of the THE LOTTERY DEPARTMENT BMW. Your car, your winning cheque, original copy of your winning certificate, together with a covering document (Money Laundering protection and Letter of Affidavit for Claims) from the BMW GROUP stating that the money was obtained legally through their BMW promotion will be sent to you as soon as you choose from any of the option stipulated below.
To begin the final step of the claims process, which is the shipment of your BRAND NEW CAR AND WINNING CHEQUE . With regards to this, there are Three options open to you.

You are required to select the most convenient of the Three. The options, together with their associated conditions are presented below: You are be required to pay the necessary courier charges to enable us send you your car, cheque and other claim documents.
We are shipping your winning cross cheque and car to you via any of this channel listed below:


DHL
Mailing £265.00 Insurance £278.00Vat (5%) £40.00TOTAL £583.00($1,014.82 )

UPS





Mailing £345.00 Insurance £156.00Vat (5%) £40.00TOTAL £541.00($1,020.49)


FEDEX

Mailing £322.00 Insurance £116.00Vat (5%) £40.00TOTAL £478.00($901.655 )


This company declined 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 recover the 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: that your prize is protected by a hardcover insurance policy, which makes it impossible to deduct any amount from the money before it has been remitted to you. This means that the above charges cannot be deducted from the prize and hence must be provided by you before your prize is transferred to you.

This is in accordance with section 13(1)(n) of the national gambling act as adopted in 1993 and amended on 3RD July 1996 by the constitutional assembly.This is to protect winners and to avoid misappropriation of funds
Send your response to indicate your option within the next 24hrs, because you only have 6 days to claim this cheque and after this period, your cash prize will be deemed to have been forfeited by you and will be reused in the drawings of the next edition of the promo.

Once again,congratulations.


YOURS SINCERELY,
Mr. Victor Bloom.
(DELIVERY OFFICER)

Anti-fraud resources: