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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "barr." (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. )
  • "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.
  • +22993894157 (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.
  • shalom_couriercompany2006@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: williamsjohn30@elvigiaensenada.com
Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:58:35 +0100
Subject: Re;Contact Courier Delivery Company With Your Information.


(WILLIAMS & COUNSELORS AT LAW)
06 BP 1409 AKPAKPA DODOMEY
COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN.

Dear Friend,

I have been waiting for you since to come down here and pick
your Bank Draft but did not heard from you since that time.
Then I went and deposited the Bank Draft of 1.5million usd
with Global Security Company here in Benin Republic, because
I travelled to Iraq to see my boss and will not come back
till next month end. I want You to contact the Shalom
Courier Company to know when they will deliver your package.
I have paid for the delivering charges and insurance fee.The
only money you have to send to them is there security
keeping fee which is $105.00 Us Dollars to received your
package.

This is their Contact Address,
Dear Dr. JIM NKOH
Director Shalom Courier Company,
Benin Republic.
Phone number +229-93894157.
Registration No; Eg2272
Code Number::01721457
E-mail; ( shalom_couriercompany2006@yahoo.fr )

Try to contact them as soon as possible to avoid increasing
the security keeping fee.
Below is the information you required to send to them;

Full name......................
Home address.....................
Telphone...............
Age......................
Sex................

I gave them your delivering address but you have to
reconfirm it to them again to avoid any mistake on the
delivering.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Note. The SHALOM COURIER COMPANY BENIN REPUBLIC don't know
the contents of the Box. I registered it as a Box of an
Africa cloths. They don't know it contents money. this is to
avoid them delaying with the Box. don't let them know what
is contains.I am waiting for your urgent response. You can
even call the Director of SHALOM COURIER COMPANY with this
line +229-93894157.

Let me know immediately you receive your Draft.

Thanks.
Barr.Williams John

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam