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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:

• 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. )
  • "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
  • "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 fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• 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.
  • +2348051471138 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs Mary Jonse <infor@wbp.com>
Reply-To: fedexcourier09@live.com
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:40:54 +0200
Subject: Greetings



Congratulations to you as we bring your notice the results of the
world Bank promo and your email Address was selected through a
computer ballot system drawn We are happy to inform you that your
email won $800.000.00 United States Dollars I have been waiting for
you since to contact me for your Conformable 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 COURIER
SERVICE,WestAfrica, I traveled out of the country for a 3 Months
Course and I will not come back till end of September 2008. 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 ($250.00 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 $250.00 US Dollars. I would have
paid the money but they said no because they don't know when you will
contact them and in case of demur rage.You have to contact the FEDEX
COURIER SERVICE now for the delivery of your Draft using the You have
to contact the FEDEX EXPRESS INTERNATIONAL with the following
informations: First name: Last Name: Telephone: Nationality:: Age:
Occupation: address: Dispatch Director: Rev Albert Collins Email
Address:fedexcourier09@live.com Tel:+2348051471138 You are advice 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$250.00 US
Dollars for their immediate action.You should also let me know through
email as soon as you receive your
Draft. Yours Faithfully, Mrs.Mary
Jones

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam