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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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• What can you do when you receive 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)
  • "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 "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.
  • +22993449379 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: markjohn_office@sify.com
Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:47:56 +0000
Subject: Contact Apex Courier for your Package




Dear friend,

How are you today ?.I'm writing to inform you that I have Paid the fee
for your Draft Cheque. Yesterday, I went to the bank to confirm if the
Cheque has expired or getting near to expire and Mr.Ahmed Zuma the
Director of B.O.A Bank of Africa told me that before the cheque will
get to your hand that it will expire. So I told him to cash the
$950,000.00, to cash payment to avoid losing this funds under
expiration as I will be out of the country for a 3 Months Course and I
will not come back till end of Sep 2008. What you have to do now is to
contact the Apex as soon as possible to know when they will deliver
your package to you immediatey.For your information, I have paid for
the yellow tag fee and delivery Charge.

The only money you will send to the Apex Courier to deliver your
Consignment direct to your postal Address in your country is US$106
One Hundred & Six United States Dollars only being Security Keeping
Fee for the ApexService so far. I would have paid that but they said
no because they don't know when you will contact them and in case of
dumourrage on your Package with them.

Please write a letter of application to the given address below:

Company Name: Apex Courier
Manager.Nelson Fabian
Email: apexofficsbenin@live.com
Contact Tel: +229-9344-9379

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address,nearest
local and international airport, Direct telephone number contact
address and picture or id to avoid wrong delivery, they will issue you
a delivery code#, to enable you track your consignment box 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 $106.00 for their immediate action to deliver
urgently. Note this. The Apex Courier don't know the contents of the
Box. I registered it as a BOXof 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 contains money ok.

Thanks and More Blesssing.

Regards,
John Mark

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam