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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:
  • "million united states 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 "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.
  • +22997160199 (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.
  • upscourierc@yahoo.fr
  • ups.courier_service1@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: "officefile0120 Gazeta.pl" <officefile0120@gazeta.pl>
Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 08:26:26 +0100
Subject: CONTANT THE UPS DELIVERY COMPANY TO RECEIVE YOUR PACKAGE.


Good day!


I have been waiting to hear back from you for your Bank Draft of $1.2
million United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you since for a
couple of weeks now. Then I went to the bank to confirm if the draft has
expired or getting near to expire and Dr.Wilson the Director Bank of Africa
told me that before the draft will get to your hand that it will expire. So
I told him to cash the $1.5 million us dollas UNITED STATES DOLLARS to cash
payment to avoid losing this funds under expiration.What you have to do now
is to contact UNITED PARCEL SERVICE BENIN as soon as possible to know when
they will deliver your Consignment to you because of the expiring date.
For your information, I have paid for the delivering Charges. The only money
you will send to the UNITED PARCEL SERVICE BENIN to deliver your
Consignment direct to your postal Address in your country is ($97.00 US)
only being their Security Keeping Fee of the Courier Company so far. I would
have to 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 them now for the delivery of your Draft with this
information bellow:

Directors Name: Dr. Teco Benson.
Companys Name: UNITED PARCEL SERVICE BENIN REPUBLIC,
Phone.... +229 97-160-199
Email Address: ( upscourierc@yahoo.fr ) or
this ( ups.courier_service1@yahoo.fr )

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address and Direct
telephone number to them again to avoid any mistake on the Delivery . Let me
repeat again, try to contact (UPS) Courier as soon as you receive this mail
to avoid any further delay and remember to pay them their Security Keeping
fee of $97.00 US Dollars for their immediate action.

Note this. The UNITED PARCEL SERVICE BENIN don't know the contents of the
Box. I registered it as a BOX of Africa cloths. They did not know the
contents was money. this is to avoid them delaying with the BOX. Don't let
them know that box contents money ok.

I am waiting for your good news.


Yours Faithfully,

Mr WILLIAMS BEN,

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam