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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)
  • "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 "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
• 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.
  • +22997014606 (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.
  • fedexoficebenin@sify.com

Fraud email example:

From: "eustace ibuzo" <eustaceibuzo1@klikni.cz>
Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 13:31:50 +0100
Subject: Contact Fedex courier company.


Contact Fedex courier company.
Dear friend,

How are you today ?.I'm writing to inform you that I have Paid the fee for
your Draft Cheque. Yesterday, I went to the bank to confirm if the Cheque
has expired or getting near to expire and Mr.Ahmed Zuma the Director of
B.O.A Bank of Africa told me that before the cheque will get to your hand
that it will expire. So I told him to cash the $950,000.00, (Nine Hundred
and Fifty thousand USD)to cash payment to avoid losing this funds under
expiration as I will be out of the country for a 6 Months Course and I will
not come back till end of Nov. 2008. What you have to do now is to contact
the FedEx Delivery Express as soon as possible to know when they will
deliver your package to you immediatey.For your information, I have paid for
the yellow tag fee and delivery Charge.

The only money you will send to the FedEx Express to deliver your
Consignment direct to your postal Address in your country is US$106 One
Hundred & Six United States Dollars only being Security Keeping Fee for the
Fedex Service so far. I would have paid that but they said no because they
don't know when you will contact them and in case of dumourrage on your
Package with them.

Please write a letter of application to the given address below:

Company Name: FedEx Express
Director: Dr.Nelson Fabian
Email: fedexoficebenin@sify.com
Email:contactus1@fedexbj.com <Email%3Acontactus1@fedexbj.com>
Contact Tel: +229-97 01 46 06
Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address,nearest local and
international airport, Direct telephone number contact address and picture
or id to avoid wrong delivery, they will issue you a tracking #, to enable
you track your consignment box and know when it will get to your address.

Let me repeat again, try to contact them as soon as you receive this mail to
avoid any further delay and remember to pay them their Security Keeping fee
of $106.00 for their immediate action to deliver urgently. Note this. The
FedEx Express don't know the contents of the Box. I registered it as a BOX
of sensitive telegraphic film materials. They did not know the contents was
money. this is to avoid them delaying with the BOX. Don't let them know
that box contains money ok.

Thanks and More Blesssing.

Regards,
Barr Eustace Ibuzo Jr

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam