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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "john hillary" <hillary012@gala.net>
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:44:08 +0200
Subject: Pls Contact FedEx Courier For your Cashier's Cheque


ALHAJI AND ALHAJI HOLDINGS.
SECRETARY OFFICE.
COUNSELORS AT LAW
06 BP 1409 AKPAKPA
AGALAN
COTONOU REPUBLIC OF
BENIN.
Dear Friend,

I have been waiting for you since to come down here and pick your Cashier's
Cheque which was given to me by my Boss, Alhaji

Dangote to keep till you contacted me. This Cashier's Cheque worth US$1.5M
but I did not heard from you since that time , then I

went and deposited the Cashier's Cheque with FedEx Courrier company here in
Benin Republic , because I am travelling to Iraq to

see my Boss and will not come back till Three months time. You have to
contact the FedEx Courier company to know when they

will deliver your package . I have paid for the delivering charges and
insurance fee.

The only money they will ask you, to send to them is their security keeping
fee which is $255 to received your package. Don't be

deceived by any body, this is the only expenses you will incur and your
Cashier's Cheque will be delivered to your address. This is

the Contact Address of Mr Williams Thompson, Director, FedEx Courier service
company, Cotonou, Benin Republic.

E-mail: ( fedexexpress05@live.fr)

You should try and contact them immediately because the Cashier's Cheque has
validity date as is the case with all Cashier's

cheque all over the World. I gave them your delivering address but you have
to reconfirm it to them again to avoid wrongful

delivering. And once more, you should bear in mind that this US$255 is the
only expenses you will incur and the Cashier's Cheque

will be delivered to your address as you provided. Hence get them to give
you the information which you will use to send the

US$255 to them and instruct the Director in Cotonou Benin Republic, Mr
Williams Thompson to get the delivery of your Cashier's

Cheque to your address without any further delay.

YOUR FULL NAME-------------
CONTACT ADDRESS------------
TELEPHONE NUMBER-----------
FAX NUMBER-----------------
Please, Do Let me know as soon as you receive your Draft .

Thanks
Barrister John Hillary

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