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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • +2348070563120 (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.
  • fedexcourierserviceltd@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "George, Ann" <A.George@tcu.edu>
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 07:36:34 -0500
Subject: YOU HAVE A PACKAGE WITH FEDEX.



Greetings!

I am Mr.James Wellington.I have been waiting for you since 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 FedEx Delivery,
West Africa, I traveled out of the country for a 3 Months Course and I will not come back till end of august.What you have to do now is to contact the FedEx Delivery 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 cost of delivery charges,and other ducuments binding your delivery Fee of the Cheque showing that it is not drug money or meant to sponsor terrorist attack in your Country.
The only money you will send to the FedEx Delivery courier to deliver your Draft direct to your postal Address in your country is ($265.00 USD) only being Security Keeping Fee of the Delivery Company so far. Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay for insurrance except $265.00 USD Dollars only for security keeping fee. I would have paid that but they did not allow me to do, because they said they don't know when you will contact them and in case of demurrage, but now I am on a course in which they will not be able to contact me for the payment.
You have to contact the FedEx Delivery service
now for the delivery of your Draft with this information below;
Contact Person: Mr. Daniel J.cole
E-mail: fedexcourierserviceltd@hotmail.com
Fax:(+234) 807 0563 120
Tel (+234) 703 046 4986
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 When it arrive, 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 $265.00 USD US Dollars for their immediate action.
Note that it is when you must have pay the $265.00 USD for the security Keeping fee so that the package will be released to you and the tracking number would be given to you as soon as your package arrive your country.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr.James Wellington

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam