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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "the consignment" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "million us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "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. )
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
• 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.
  • +22993146186 (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.
  • fedexcourierservicecompanyltd_09@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: robertmark@freenet.de
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:43:56 +0100
Subject: My Dear Good Friend,


My Dear Good Friend,

How are you today? I am writing to inform you
that I have Paid the fee for your Cheque Draft. And I went to the bank
to confirm if the Cheque has expired or getting near to expire and
Mr.Ahmed Zafa the Director of Central Bank of West African States(BCEAO)
told me that before the cheque will get to your hand that it will
expire.

So I told him to cash the US$2.5MILLION US DOLLARS to cash
payment to avoid losting this funds.However, all the necessary
arrangement of delivering the US$2.5MILLION US DOLLARS in cash was made
with FEDEX SPEED SERVICES COMPANY LTD. in Cotonou Benin Republic,


Mr.Ahmed Zafa the Director of Central Bank of West African
States(BCEAO) Cotonou have to package the sum of US$2.5MILLION US
DOLLARS in cash for me. Then he also agreed to help me to Register the
Consignment with FEDEX SPEED SERVICES COMPANY LTD. Infact I\'m happy
that every movement I made goes normally.

As for our agreement with
the FEDEX SPEED SERVICES COMPANY LTD. they promised that your
consignment will leave this Country on monday next week,But the Director
of the FEDEX SPEED SERVICES COMPANY LTD. said that they need your
contacts informations to able them meet up with you immediately the
Diplomat Agent arrived to your Country.

Please write a letter of
application to the given address below.

ATTN: Mr.Jim Victor
TEl:
+:229-93146186
EMAIL:fedexcourierservicecompanyltd_09@yahoo.fr


Please, Send them your contacts information to able them locate you
immediately they arrived in your country with your BOX .This is what
they need from you.

1.YOUR FULL NAME
2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS.
3.YOUR
CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER.
4.YOUR CURRENT OFFICE TELEPHONE.
5.A COPY
OF YOUR PICTURE

Please make sure you send this needed information to
the Director general of FEDEX Speed SERVICES Company LTD, with their
address given stated above.

Note.FEDEX SPEED SERVICES COMPANY
LTD.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 that is money that is in
that Box.

I am waiting for your urgent response. You can even call the
Director of the company with this line:+229-93146186

Thanks and Remain
Blessed.
Mr.Robert Mark,


Unbegrenzter Speicher, Top-Spamschutz, 120
SMS und eigene E-MailDomain
inkl.
http://office.freenet.de/dienste/emailoffice/produktuebersicht/power/mail/index.html

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam