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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)
  • "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)
  • "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 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.
  • +22997527489 (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.
  • fedexcourierexpress_delivery2007@yahoo.de

Fraud email example:

From: "johnmark96 Gazeta.pl" <johnmark96@gazeta.pl>
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 21:59:49 +0200
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX DELIVERY EXPRESS NOW


Hello My Dear Friend
I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft worth of (usd$1.5M.USD) )ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED
STATE DOLLARS which my boss left with me before he travelled out of this
Country, but I did not hear from you since that time.

Then with the help of a friend Dr.Wilson who is The Bank manager of The
Bank of Africa I cashed the money and deposited it as a BOX containing
African clothes with FEDEX DELIVERING COMPANY Benin Republic Cotonou .
What you have to do now is to contact the Fedex Delivering Company as soon
as possible to know when they will deliver your package to you And For your
information, I have paid for the delivering Charge of the package.
The only money you will send to the Fedex Delivering Company is ($185.00
US) for Security Keeping Fee to Enable them Settle the Security Company And
deliver your package direct to your postal Address in your country.
Just $185 United States Dollars only being Security Keeping Fee of the Fedex
Delivering Company so far.
Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay any other money except $185 US
Dollars. I would have paid that but they said no because they don't know
when you will contact them and incase of demurrage You have to contact the
Fedex Delivering Company now for the delivery of your package.

This is Their contact Information Below:
Contact Person:Dr Victor Brown.
Email Address: , fedexcourierexpress_delivery2007@yahoo.de )
Phone +229-9752-7489

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm the following infomation 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.
The infomations is follow:
(1.)YOUR FULL NAME...................................................
(2.)YOUR CURRENT TELEPHONE.....................
(3.)A COPY OF YOUR I.D. PICTURE...............................
(4.)YOUR OCCUPACTION..............................................
(5.)YOUR COUNTRY NAME...........................................

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 $185 US Dollars for their immediate action.
Do let me know immediately you recieves your package.

Yours Faithfully,
James Morgan

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam