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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:
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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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. )
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • uspsdelivery@hotmail.com
  • thomasclarke753@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Thomas Clarke" <tclarke2@gala.net>
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:27:14 -0700
Subject: NOTE AND CONTACT THEM URGENTLY


NOTE AND CONTACT THEM URGENTLY


Dear Friend,


I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft of S$2,500.000.00 but I did not hear from you. Then I went and
deposited the draft with USPS Courier Service, Cotonou-Benin Republic before
I travelled out of the country for a 3 Months Course.


What you have to do now is to contact the USPS Courier Company as soon as
possible to know when they will deliver your package to you because of the
expiry date. For your information, I have paid for the delivery Charge and
Insurance premium fee of the draft.


The only money you will send to the USPS Courier Company to deliver your
draft direct to your address is US$170.00 only being Security Keeping Fee of
the Courier Company so far. Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay any
other money except USD170.00. I would have paid that but they said no
because they don't know when you will contact them and considering also the
demurrage charge it will incur before you contact them. You have to contact
the USPS Courier Company now for the delivery of your draft with this
information bellow;


Contact Person: Dr Joshua Amara
Email Address: uspsdelivery@hotmail.com
Tel: 00 229-97-849-735


Finally, make sure that you re-confirm your delivery address and direct
telephone number to them to avoid any mistake in the delivery. Ask them also
to give you the tracking number to enable you track your package while
transit to ensure effective delivery.


Let me repeat this, 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 USD170.00 for their immediate action. You should as well let me know
through email as soon as you receive your draft.


Yours faithfully,
Mr. Thomas Clarke
thomasclarke753@yahoo.fr

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam