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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:
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "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. )
• 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.
  • +22993044111 (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.
  • fedex48hurs_delivery@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "frankedward89 Gazeta.pl" <frankedward89@gazeta.pl>
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 18:04:05 +0100
Subject: I HAVE REGISTERED YOUR CONSIGNMENT WITH FEDEX.


Goodday!!!

I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft of $1.500,000.00 United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you
since for a couplte of Months now. Then I went to the bank to confirm if
the draft has expired or getting near to expire and Dr.James Clee, 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 $1.500,000.00 USD UNITED
STATES DOLLARS to cash payment to avoid losing this funds under expiration
as I will be out out of the country for a 3 Months Course and I will not
come back till ending of August 2008.

What you have to do now is to contact FEDEX COURIER SERVICES 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
Charge, Insurance premium.The only money you will send to the FEDEX COURIER
SERVICES to deliver your Consignment direct to your postal Address in your
country is ($130.00 US) Only being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier
Company so far.Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay any other money
except $130.00 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 FEDEX COURIER SERVICES now for the delivery of your Draft with
this information bellow;

Directors Name: EL HAJI SALAMI ALABI,
Companys Name:FEDEX COURIER SERVICES DELIVERY COMPANY
Email Address: ( fedex48hurs_delivery@hotmail.com )
Tel/+229 93-04-41-11.

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 your package over
there 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 $130.00 US Dollars for
their immediate action.Note this. The FEDEX COURIER SERVICES 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 urgent response.
Yours Faithfully,

Mr.frank ben.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam