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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.

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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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "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. )
• 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.
  • +22997340443 (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.
  • ablecouriercompanybenin60@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: jimpeters36@freenet.de
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:25:56 +0100
Subject: Greetings to you & your Family.



Dear Friend,
Greetings to you & your Family.
I have been waiting for
you since to contact me for your Confirmable
Bank Draft of $800,000.00
, but I did not hear from you since that time,
Then I went and
deposited the Draft with Able Courier Company Benin Republic

before
I travelled out of the country for a short Course and I will not come

back till end of next Month. What you have to do now is to contact the
Able Courier Company Benin Republic as soon as possible and instruct
them to deliver your package to you.
For your information, I have paid
for the delivering Charges, The only
money you will send to the Able
Courier Company to deliver your Draft
direct to your postal Address in
your country is only ($105.00) only being their

Security Keeping Fee
of their Company so far. Contact the director of the Able Courier
Services immediately and call him as you contact him.
Director Able
Courier Company Benin Republic .
Director Name Dr Joseph Omega
Telephone
Number
+229-97340443
E-mail:ablecouriercompanybenin60@yahoo.fr
Registration No;
Eg2272
Security Code Number: 01721457
Therefore contact the Able Courier
Company with the information
blow to send your consignment to
you.
1.YOUR FULL NAME...........
2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS.........
3.YOUR
CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER........
4. PACKAGE NUMBER: JKT0014523
N.B:
Remenber to quote the package number as you contact the courier
company
for identification.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr. Jim Mark Willams.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam