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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:

• 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 service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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)
  • "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.
  • jacksoncourierservice@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: johnsawyerjnr@freenet.de
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 23:40:38 +0100
Subject: CONTACT JACKSON COURIER SERVICE FOR YOUR BANK DRAFT


Dear Friend,
Greetings!

I have been waiting for you since to contact me
for your Confirmable Bank Draft of $850.000.00 United States Dollars,
but I did not hear from you since that time. Then I went and deposited
the Draft with Jackson Courier Service , Cotonou Benin Republic before I
travelled out of the country for a 3 Months Course and I will not come
back till end of April.What you have to do now is to contact Jackson
Courier Service as soon as possible to know when they will deliver your
package to you because of the expiring date.For your information, I have
paid for the delivering Charge, Insurance premium and Clearance
Certificate Fee of the Cheque showing that it is not a Drug Money or
meant to sponsor Terrorist attack in your Country.
The only money you
will send to the them to deliver your Draft of $850.000.00Usd direct to
your postal Address in your country is ($105.00US)One Hundred & Five
United States Dollars only being Security Keeping Fee of the Company so
far.
Again, you dont have any time left to delay contact Jackson
Express Courier Company immediately you receive this mail this is to
avoid you loosing your package,I would have paid the $105.00USDollars.
but they said no because they don\'t know when you will contact them and
in case of demurrage.
You have to contact the Jackson Courier Service
now for the delivery of your Draft with this information bellow;
Company
Name : Jackson Courier Service

Contact Person: DR FRANK DON
Email
Address: jacksoncourierservice@yahoo.fr

Finally, make sure that you
reconfirm your Postal address and Direct telephone number to them again
to avoid any mistake on the Delivery 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 $105.00 US Dollars for their immediate
action.You should also let me know through email as soon as you receive
your Draft.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr.John G. Parry.
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