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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)
  • "million 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 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.
  • +229938155891 (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.
  • augustinechinedu76@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: office file<officefile@freenet.de>
Date: Wed, 02 Apr 2008 18:36:02 +0200
Subject: GOOD NEWS


Attn Dear Friend
I received your mail regarding the Cashier Bank Draft
of $2.5 Million Dollars usa dollars that my Director left here for
you, Yes the money is for you and He told me to keep the Cashier Bank
Draft for you before he traveled out of this country for investment
projects
.
Now that you have contact for the Bank Draft which i was
instructed to despatch to your home address by my dircetor before his
departure from this country. Now that you have contacted for the bank
draft i have one question for you,
Are you coming to pick it here
yourself? Or do you want me to send it to your through Diplomat means? I
suggest that you come down here so that it will be easy for us but if
you can not make it .

Then you know that i will send it through
diplomatic service.that is the only way to mail international draft
chaque here in benin rep .Incase if you are not coming yourself, send
your full contact information to me to enable me register for
delivering.

YOUR FULL
NAME......................................
CURRENT MAILING
ADDRESS:.......................
HOME TELEPHONE
NUMBER:..................................
OFFICE
NUMBER:............................................
OCCUPAION.............................................
COUNTRY...........................................
SEX................................................
AGE...............................................


EMAIL augustinechinedu76@yahoo.fr
Send the information immediately if
you are not coming here in person i will find out how much
the courier
company will take to deliver the parcel to your home address or any
where of your choice right.

Meanwhile you can call me on this cell
phone unmber for further discussion +229 938155891
I look forward to
hear from you as soon as possible.

Regards
Mr.john o okfor

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam