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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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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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)
  • "clearance certificate" (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. )
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • +22993815688 (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.
  • fedex_courierdeliveryfile@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: barrypeterbello01@zipmail.com.br
Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2008 18:37:47 +0100
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Dear=20Friend=2C=20Greetings=21?=

Dear Friend, Greetings!

I have been waiting for you since to contact
me for your Confirmable Bank Draft worth of
(usd $2.500.000.00)TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND UNITED DOLLARS which my boss left
with me before he travelled out,but I did
not hear from you since that time. Then with
the help of a friend who is a bank manager I
cashed the money and deposited it as a BOX
containing African clothes with FEDEX COURIER
COMPANY LIMITED, Cotonou, Benin Republic.

What you have to do now is to contact the
FEDEX COURIER COMPANY as soon as possible
to know when they will deliver your package
to you. For your information, I have paid for
the delivering Charge, Insurance premium and
Clearance Certificate Fee of the package.

The only money you will send to the Courier
& Security Company to deliver your package
direct to your postal Address in your country
is ($85.00 US) EIGHTY FIVE UNITED DOLLARS ONLY,
being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier Company
so far. Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay
any other money except $85.00 US Dollars. I would
have paid that but they said no because they don't
know when you will contact them and in case of demurrage.

You have to contact the FEDEX COURIER COMPANY
now for the delivery of your package with this
information bellow;

Contact Person: DR. Jerry Adama
Telephone:+229 938 156 88 or229 976 373 43
Email Address:fedex_courierdeliveryfile@yahoo.fr

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm the
following infomation to them again to avoid
any mistake on the Delivery and ask them to
give you the tracking number to enable you
track your package over there and know when
it will get to your address.

The infomations are;
1.YOUR FULL NAME;
2.YOUR AGE;
3.HOUSE/OFFICE ADDRESS
4.HOUSE / OFFICE PHONE NOS
5.A COPY OF YOUR PICT FOR IDDENTIFICATION

Let me repeat again, try to contact them as
soon as you receive this mail to avoid any
further delay and remember to pay them their
Security Keeping fee of $85.00 US Dollars for
their immediate action.Do let me know immediately
you recieves your package.

Yours Faithfully,
MR PETER BELLO

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam