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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united state dollars" (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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "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 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.
  • +22997527489 (Benin, probably a 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.
  • fedexexpresscourier2005@yahoo.com.hk

Fraud email example:

From: "jimy peter" <jimypeter23@legwork.com.ng>
Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 17:15:43 +0100
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX EXPRESS COMPANY NOW


Hello My Dear Friend

I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your

Confirmable Bank Draft worth of (usd$2.5M.USD) )TWO MILLION FIVE

HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS which my boss left with me

before he travelled out of this Country, but I did not hear from

you since that time.

Then with the help of a friend Dr.Wilson who is The Bank manager

of The Bank of Africa I cashed the money and deposited it as a

BOX containing African clothes with FEDEX DELIVERING COMPANY Benin

Republic Cotonou .

What you have to do now is to contact the Fedex Delivering Company

as soon as possible to know when they will deliver your package to

you And For your information, I have paid for the delivering

Charge of the package.

The only money you will send to the Fedex Delivering Company is

($185.00 US) for Security Keeping Fee to Enable them Settle the

Security Company And deliver your package direct to your postal

Address in your country.Just $185 United States Dollars only being

Security Keeping Fee of the Fedex Delivering Company so far.

Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay any other money except

$185 US Dollars. I would have paid that but they said no because

they don't know when you will contact them and incase of demurrage

You have to contact the Fedex Delivering Company now for the

delivery of your package.

This is Their contact Information Below:
Contact Person:Dr Victor Brown.
Email Address: (fedexexpresscourier2005@yahoo.com.hk)
Phone +229-9752-7489

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm the following infomation 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.

The infomations is follow:
(1.)YOUR FULL

NAME...................................................
(2.)YOUR CURRENT TELEPHONE.....................
(3.)A COPY OF YOUR I.D. PICTURE...............................
(4.)YOUR OCCUPACTION..............................................
(5.)YOUR COUNTRY NAME...........................................
(6)YOUR REGISTRATION NUM .............FXD829
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 $185 US Dollars for their immediate

action.Do let me know immediately you recieves your package.



Yours Faithfully,
Jimy Peter

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam