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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "courier service" (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 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.
  • ifexexpress_diplomaticservice@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: johnmark3@freenet.de
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:18:06 +0200
Subject: Contact ifex immidiately for your package


My Dear,
Happy New Year.I have been waiting for you since regarding
your Cashier Bank Draft worth USD$1.5Million before I leave Cotonou
Benin Republic but you did not show face and I did not heard from you
since that time,then I went and deposited the Draft with IFEX EXPRESS
DIPLOMATIC COURIER SERVICES there in my country Benin Republic.
Please
for your informations,I travelled to Japan to see my boss as he
instructed me and will not come back till next month end, Please You
have to contact the IFEX EXPRESS DIPLOMATIC COURIER SERVICES to know
when they will deliver your package to you there in your country,I have
paid for the delivering charges and insurance fee.
The only money you
have to send to them is their security keeping fee which is $95.00 Us
Dollars to received your package I agreed with them that you will pay
the $95.00 Don\'t be deceived by any body because I paid for the
delivery fee before they accepted the Cashier Bank draft and was told
that after one week you will pay the Security keeping fee which is only
$95.00.Contact the DIRECTOR OF THE COMPANY with the informations
below:
NAME/Prof.Francis David
Address:BP 2005 Ste Ceceile Ave,
Cotonou
Republic Du Benin.
TEL: (229)
993442314
EMAIL:ifexexpress_diplomaticservice@yahoo.fr
Try to contact
them as soon as possible to avoid increasing the security keeping fee.I
gave them your delivering address but you have to reconfirm it to them
again to avoid any mistake in the delivering. Let me know as soon as you
receive your Cashier Bank Draft,And I am very sorry for any inconvinence
this might have caused you but remember that it was\'nt my fault because
I waited for you to come down before I was called by my Director, The
amount you have to send to them is $95.00 only.

Regards,
John
Secretary

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam