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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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• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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 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.
  • +2348056734301 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs Vanessa Brian <info@admin.nl>
Reply-To: fedexcourier.02@live.com
Date: Sat, 17 May 2008 06:30:31 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: {Spam!}


Greetings!

I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable
BankDraft of $800.000.00 United States Dollars,but I did not hear from
you since that time. Then I went and deposited the Draft with FedEx
COURIER
SERVICE,West Africa,I travelled out of the country for a 3 Months
Courseand I will not come back till end of June. What you have to
do
now is to
contact the FedEx COURIER SERVICE as soon as possible to know when
they will deliver your package to you because of the expiring date. For
your
information, I have paid for the delivering Charge,Insurance premium
and
Clearance Certificate Fee of the Cheque showing that it is not a
Drug Money or meant to sponsor Terrorist attack in your Country.
The only money you will send to the FedEx COURIER SERVICE to deliver
your Draft direct to your postal Address in your country is ($200.00
USD)only being Security
Keeping Fee of the Courier Company so far. Again,don't be deceived by
anybody to pay any other money except $200.00 USD Dollars. I would have
paid
that but they said no because they don't know when you will contact
them
and in case of demurrage. You have to contact the FedEx COURIER
SERVICE
now for the delivery of your Draft with this information bellow;
Contact
Person: Mr. Jones Darry
Email Address: fedexcourier.02@live.com
Telephone: +234 8056 734 301

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address; Direct
telephone number; Do send it to them again to avoid any mistake on the
Delivery and ask them to give you the tracking number to enable you
track your package over there and know when it will get to your
address.

Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Vanessa Brian
Loan Finance Department

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam