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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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)
  • "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist 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 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.
  • blessing_mandela204@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: orji mbless <orjim32@hotmail.fr>
Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2007 14:18:11 +0100
Subject: Dear Friend,



Dear Friend,

It has been long we communicated last, am so sorry for the delay ,I mean your cheque of USD$800.000.00 that my boss asked me to mail to you as soon as you request for it , but due to some high price of courier company you fails to respond to me, and presently the cheque is still with me here in Benin Republic, I went to the bank to verify if the cheque still good but i was told that your cheque is good that you can cash the cheque to any bank in the world,I which to inform you that I have find.A new contact from a friend of mine who works with Diplomatic Courier Company here in BENIN REPUBLIC that will deliver your cheque at your door step with a cheeper rate, which the company said that it will cost you the sum of $98.00 us dollars, so you have to hurry and register with them now.and try to ask them to give you the Direction which you will use to send the $98.00 to them to enable them proceed the delivery of your cheque ,

because your draft is already with them, the draft was packaged in a way that the courier company will not open it untill you receiver it according to them it will only take them 2 days to deliver the cheque to your door step, so my friend you have to hurry and make sure you send the $98.00 to them to enable them deliver the draft to you ,cantact them immedaitely with the information giving to you, so that your $800.000.00 will be delivered to you this week, Below is their email address: (impexdiplomatic_expresscourierco@yahoo.co.ukAnd the Directors name is ( DR BEN OKOYE) Please do send your full address to them such as
YOUR FULL NAME .........YOUR ADDRESS WHERE THE DRAFT WILL BE DROPYOUR CONTACT PHONE................
And try to get back to me by writing me through my privat email address; blessing_mandela204@yahoo.fr I wait to hear from you soon.
Thank you. Mr Mandela Orji
Contact Impex Trust Company Now For Your Draft
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam