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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)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +22997017811 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: solude24@freenet.de
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:36:23 +0200
Subject: Your waiting payment.


Dearest friend,
Good day to you my dear friend, as a matter of fact
there is good news because barrister William Cole, arrived our office
three days ago asking about the ($800, 000, 00) cashier cheque of wish
he deposited with us trust link courier service Benin republic.
We
explain to him the second stance that surrender the delivery of your
cheque was that you have not been able to comp up the our delivery fee,
that is why the cheque is steel with us here, he sympathize with you and
paid the delivery fee on your behalf, and left our office, according to
him he will travel back to china for urgent massage and will not come
back till next four months.
So at this moment you have to reconfirm your
full information to this office to enable us know wear to deliver your
cashier cheque to you without any delay, barrister William Cole, has
paid for the delivering charges.
The only money you have to pay now is
the security-keeping fee, And you received your your cheque in three
days time, don\'t be deceived by anybody, so reconfirm you receiving
information in other for you received you are your cheque.
Fill this
below information back to us through our private email:
trustlink@voila.fr
1. Your full name;
2. Your home address;
3. Your
current telephone number;
We are looking forward to receiving your
return mail with your
information filled as requested:
Actually you are
the rightful beneficiary of the cashier cheque, with code (2661428) as
it was in our record, kindly fill the above form and get back to us
asap, call me as soon as you reply this mail to enable me act fast.
We
are waiting for your urgent response through our private email:
trustlink@voila.fr
You’re faithfully.
Mr. Stephen.
Trust link
courier service.
+229-9701-7811

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam