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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:
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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:
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
  • "affidavit " (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. )
  • "courier company" (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 fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• 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.
  • +447045749638 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: E-courier Delivery Services <ecourierdeliveryservices@live.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:28:59 +0000
Subject:
=?windows-1256?Q?Message_From_eCourier_Office._(eCourier_Cost_Of_Parcel_D?=
=?windows-1256?Q?elivery)=FE=FE=FE=FE=FE=FE=FE=FE=FE=FE=FE=FE=FE?=



E-COURIER DELIVERY OFFICE LTD.Welcome to eCourier Dispatch Services.Head Office & Accounts.658 Galleymead Road, Colnbrook, Berkshire, SL3 0ENUnited Kingdom.
24HRS Online Service
28. Apr. 2008
Reg No:3464353.

You are welcome to eCourier LTD Dispatch UNIT an affiliate of the Microsoft Award Team. We are pleased to be at your service. E-Courier is regulated and Stipulated by the Financial Service Authority (FSA), the financial institutions that govern all financial activities in the United Kingdom.




This office has been notified by the MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM on the amount of (£500,000.00 GBP). won by you in the Year edition of their sweepstakes. This means that you have been officially cleared for payment by the Verifications Dept of the Microsoft Award Team.

Your Parcel has been classified a top priority delivery. The description of the parcel to be delivered is stated below:
The original copy of your winning certificate, your winning cheque and the covering document (Money Laundering protection and Letter of Affidavit for Claims) from the United Kingdom stating that the money was obtained legally through the Microsoft award organisation. and will be sent to you as soon as you meet with any of the option selected.


You can now begin the final step of the claims process. With regards to this, there are three options open to you, you are required to choose the most convenient of the two options. to enable us comment with the delivery.



COURIER CHARGES FIRST OPTION



Courier Charges
£150.00
00

Administrative
£140.00
00

Insurance
£160.00
00

TOTALONE DAY DELIVERY
£490.00..............705.778 USD
00 COURIER CHARGES SECOND OPTION



Courier Charges
£150.00
00

Administrative
£140.00
00

Insurance
£100.00
00

TOTALTHREE DAYS DELIVERY
£440.00..............611.658 USD
00Note: The charges cannot be deducted from your winnings. This is in accordance with section 13 (1) (n) of the National Gambling Act as adopted in 1993 and amended on 3rd July 1996 by the constitutional assembly. This is to protect winners and to avoid misappropriation of funds and wininning situations. Moreover,you are reqiured to send payment charges via Western Union Money Transfer, of what ever option you have choosen to our dispatch agent , who is incharge of sending you your cheque and winning documents.


Please respond to this e-mail by making a selection from the three options above. Also attach a scanned copy of either your driver's licence, international passport (photo page) or any other legally identifying document for secure delivery of your cheque to you. PAYMENT INSTRUCTION You are advice to make the above payment for the option choosen by you via WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER through the name and address of our accounts officer below so as to speed up the process of delivery.
ACCOUNT OFFICERReceiving Agent: Scott Williams.Address: 2 Bevan Avenue,Conwy LL28 5AF United Kingdom.

Notify this office On completion of payment, send a scan copy of the payment transfer slip or you may email the following information as they appear on the WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER slip.

1. Senders Name and Address:2. Amount Sent:3. Western Union Transfer Number (M.T.C.N):

Send your response to indicate your option within the next 24hrs. This is because you only have seven (7) working days to claim this cheque and after this period, your cash prize will be deemed to have been forfeited by you and will be return back to the Microsoft Award Board.

Good luck and Congratulations once again. Please send your response within the next 24hrs to enable us expedite action on your parcel

Your urgent reply will be most welcome.

Sincerely,
Mr.Tom Smith,
(Dispatch Officer)TNT COURIER SERVICE
Please do call customer line for confirmation.


Tel : (+44) 704- 574- 9638

E-COURIER SERVICE ® is one of the world largest Courier offers a full range of services for Courier company and other financial institutions.


E-COURIER WORLD BEST FAST DELIVERY SERVICE(WE DELIVER TO YOUR DOOR STEP
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam