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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
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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)
  • "processing 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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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 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.
  • +22993073436 (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.
  • zenith_bankplc_benin@excite.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: barr benco <barrbenco5@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <zenith_bankplc_benin@excite.com>
Date: Tue, 30 Oct 2007 14:43:22 +0100
Subject: Atm Payment Dept. Zenith Bank Plc Cotonou Benin Republic.



Dear Friend, How are you together with your Family Today? Hope all is going normally; Dear our latest news to you today is that our Federal Government has approved all the funds owned to foreigners to be converted into ATM CARDS in which you can easily receive it through the Zenith Bank Atm Service Department here in Benin republic for security reason Meanwhile your funds $850.000.00USD has been convert into the Atm Switch Cards which has been approve by the Government and the Switch Card code of the funds are stated below (4008b) which you can use to struck like about $1,500.00 per day to any ATM Bank nearest to you in your Country. So we have make the arrangement to the Atm Department here in Cotonou Benin Republic to Deliver you your Atm Card to your destination house address which take under 2working days to get to your Address, Meanwhile you have to Contact Bank immediately and the only money you have to send to received your Card from them is the processing fee which is $125.00 only to receive your Card from the Department.

Here is their Contact Information Address, so Contact them with below information;

Atm Payment Dept. Zenith Bank Plc Cotonou Benin Republic.
Director: Rev Dr. Isaac MomohEmail:(zenith_bankplc_benin@excite.com)Telephone: +229-93073436.
Contact them immediately and get back to us as soon as you get in touch with them: below is what they need from you to Re-confirm to avoid Delivery problem.
1.Your Full Name..................................2.Country Locate..................................3.Home address....................................4.Telephone.......................................5.Copy of your picture............................ Immediately you contact them you get back and let us know. Thanks & God BlessWith Best RegardsBarrister Benco.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam