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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.

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)
  • "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.
  • apex_expresscompany@yahoo.fr
  • johnbonyi145@myway.com

Fraud email example:

From: harrymagana1@freenet.de
Date: Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:14:08 +0200
Subject: CONTACT THE APEX EXPRESS COMPANY IMMEDIATELY


CONTACT THE APEX EXPRESS COMPANY IMMEDIATELY
Dear Friend,
It has been
long we communicated last, am so sorry for the delay ,I mean your cheque
of ($1.6M)
that my boss asked me to mail to you as soon as you request
for, but due to some minor issue you fails to respond at the aproprate
time, and presently the cheque is with me here in BENIN REPUBLIC
REPUBLIC
Though, I had a new contact from a friend of mine who works
with one APEX EXPRESS COMPANY in BENIN REPUBLIC that will deliver
your cheque at your door step with a cheeper rate, which the
company
said that it will cost you the sum of $105 us dollars, so you have to
register with them now.And make sure that you furnish him with the
following:
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
Below is thier email address:

(apex_expresscompany@yahoo.fr)
and the Directors name is
( Dr Paul Agbata )
Please do get back to me
as soon as you have contacted the Apex Express Company by writing me
through my privat email address.
johnbonyi145@myway.com
I wait to hear
from you soon.
Thank you.
Mr John Bonyi,

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