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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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. )
  • "hundred thousand united state 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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • fedexcouriercompanyplc7000@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "peter john" <peter.john91@ig.com.br>
Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 03:05:00 +0200
Subject: CONTACT THE FEDEX COURIER COMPANY IMMEDIATELY FOR YOUR FOUND


Dear Friend, Greetings!

I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft worth of (usd $1.500.000.00)ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED
STATE DOLLARS which my boss left with me before he travelled out,but I did
not hear from you since that time. Then with the help of a friend who is a
bank

manager I cashed the money and deposited it as a BOX containing African
clothes with FEDEX COURIER COMPANY PLC, Cotonou, Benin Republic. What you
have to do now is to contact the FEDEX COURIER COMPANY as soon as possible
to know when they will deliver your package to you. For your

information, I have paid for the delivering Charge and Clearance Certificate
Fee of the package.

The only money you will send to the Courier & Security Company to deliver
your package direct to your postal Address in your country is ($125.00 US)
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE UNITED STATE DOLLARS ONLY, being Security
Keeping Fee of the Courier Company so far. Again, don't be deceived by
anybody to pay any other money except $125.00 US 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 COMPANY now for
the delivery of your package with this information bellow;

Contact Person: DR. Louisa Christopher
Email Address: fedexcouriercompanyplc7000@yahoo.fr

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm the following infomation to them again
to avoid any mistake on the Delivery.
The infomations are;
1.YOUR FULL NAME;
2.YOUR AGE;
3.HOUSE/OFFICE ADDRESS
4.HOUSE / OFFICE PHONE NOS -

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 $125.00 US Dollars for their immediate action.Do let me know
immediately you recieves your package

Yours Faithfully,
Mr Peter John

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam