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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:

• 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. )
  • "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. )
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "OFFICES OFFICE" <office_2k7@ig.com.br>
Reply-To: fedexexpress@live.fr
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 09:32:40 +0100
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX COURIER SERVICE FOR YOUR PACKAGE


Dear Friend,

I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable
Bank Draft of $1.5M United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you
since that time. Then I went and deposited the Draft with FEDEX COURIER
SERVICE, Cotonou, Benin Republic before I travelled out of the country for a
3 Months Course and 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 ($95.00
US) Dollars only.


Being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier Company so far.Again, don't be
deceived by any body to pay any other money except $95.00US 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:Dr. Robin Hill
EmailAddress:fedexexpress@live.fr <EmailAddress%3Afedexexpress@live.fr>
Tel/FAX: + 229-9397-6829


Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address and
Direct telephone number to them again to avoid any mistake on the Delivery
and ask them to give you the tracking number to enable you track package
over
there and know when it will get to your address.Let me repeatagain,
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 $95.00 US
Dollars for their immediate action.You should also let me know through
email as soon as you receive your Draft.

Yours Faithfully,
Mr Joe Benn

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam