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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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. )
  • "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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "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. )
  • "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.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +2348054854200 (Nigeria, 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.
  • adejones121@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Bayo Ojo" <bayo_ojo@mailbox.hu>
Reply-To: adejones121@live.com
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 08:47:49 -0700
Subject: Good News.


Dear Friend,

Compliment of the Season and Happy New Year. I have been waiting for you to
contact me for your Confirmable Bank Draft of $800,000.00 United States
Dollars but I did not hear from you since that time.Then I went and
deposited the Draft with CHURCHILL COURIER SERVICE West Africa I travelled
out of the country for a 3 Months Course and I will not come back till end
of July.

What you have to do now is to contact the CHURCHILL 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 CHURCHILL COURIER SERVICE to deliver
your Draft direct to your postal Address in your country is $100.00 US
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 $100.00US
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
CHURCHILL COURIER SERVICE now for the delivery of your Draft with this
information bellow:

Contact Person: Mr. Ade Jones
Email Address: adejones121@hotmail.com
Telephone:+ 234 805 485 4200

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 $100.00 US Dollars for
their immediate action.

You should also let me know through email as soon as you receive your Draft.


Yours Faithfully
Barrister Bayo Ojo

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam