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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:

• 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:
  • "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)
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • +2348073594373 (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.
  • fedexxcouriercompany@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "FEDEX COURIER COMPANY" <fedexxcouriercompany@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:46:36 -0700
Subject: GREETINGS

I have been waiting for you since to contact me
for your Confirmable Bank Draft of
$500,000.00 United States Dollars but I did not
hear from you since that time. Then I went and
deposited the Draft with FEDEX COURIER
SERVICE West Africa I travelled out of the
country for 3 Months Course and I will not come
back till ending 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 $190.00
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 $190.00 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.

Contact Person: Mr. Barry Hernandez
Email Address: fedexxcouriercompany@gmail.com
Telephone:+ 234 8073594373
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 email to avoid any
further delay and remember to pay them their
Security Keeping fee of $190.00 US Dollars for
their immediate action. You should also let me
know through email as soon as you receive
your Draft.

PAYMENT PROCESSING FORM

(1) FULL NAME
(2) FULL ADDRESS
(3) NATIONALITY
(4) OCCUPATION
(6) TELEPHONE NUMBER
(7) SEX
(8) PRESENT COUNTRY

Yours Faithfully
Olarewaju Dennis.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam