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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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• 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:
  • "million united states 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)
  • "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 "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.
  • +22993893402 (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_courier_serviceltd1@yahoo.es (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: williams45@freenet.de
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 23:10:59 +0100
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX EXPRESS FOR THE DELIVERY OF YOUR PACKAGE


GOOD DAY
I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your
Confirmable Bank Draft of $1.5Million United States Dollars, but I did
not hear from you since that time. Then I went to the bank to confirm if
the draft has expired or getting near to expire and Mr. Justin Yayi the
Director Bank of Africa told me that before the draft will get to your
hand that it will expire. So I told him to cash the $1.5Million USD
UNITED STATES DOLLARS to cash payment to avoid losing this funds under
expiration as I will be out out of the country for a 6 Months Course and
I will not come back till end of october 2008.

The only money you will
send to the Courier Company to deliver your Consignment direct to your
postal Address in your country is ($155.00 US) One Hundred & fifty Five
United States 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 $155.00 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.

Contact Person: Dr.Fred Walter
E-mail contact:
fedex_courier_serviceltd1@yahoo.es
Tele/fax......: 00229 93893402
Note
this. The FEDEX COURIER SERVICE company don\'t know the contents of the
Box. I registered it as a Gift item and Personal belongs. They did not
know the contents was money. this is to avoid them delaying with the
BOX. Don?t let them know that box contents money.You will reconfirm your
information to him such as:

YOUR
COUNTRY...........................
YOUR
ADDRESS...........................
YOUR TELEPHONE
NUMBER..................
Yours Faithfully,
Williams Burge

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam