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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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• 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. )
  • "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. )
• 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.
  • +2348037314460 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Wellington Kennedy" <drwellkennedy@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:31:13 -1200
Subject: PLEASE READ AND CONTACT FEDEX IMMEDIATELY.


Greetings!

I have been waiting for you ever since to contact me for
your Confirmable Bank Draft of $1,243,000.00 United States
Dollars, but I haven't heard from you since that time. So,
I went and deposited the Draft with FEDEX COURIER SERVICE,
West Africa. Meanwhile, I've traveled out of the country
for a 3 Months Course and will not be back till the end of
September.

What I would advise you to do now is to contact the FEDEX
COURIER SERVICE as soon as possible to know when they would
commence the delivery of your package to you because of the
expiry date. For your information, I have paid for the
delivery Charges, Insurance premium and Clearance
Certificate fee of the draft showing that it is neither
connected to Drug Money nor meant to sponsor any terrorist
attack in your Country. The only money you will send to the
FEDEX COURIER SERVICE to deliver your Draft direct to your
contact address in your Country is ($215.75) US Dollars only
being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier Company so far.
Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay any money more
than $215.75 US Dollars for the Security Keeping Fee of the
Courier Company.

I would have paid that but I was denied of it as they argued
that they don’t know when you will contact them in the case
of any demurrage. You have to contact the FEDEX COURIER
SERVICE now for the delivery of your Draft with this
information below;

Contact Person: Mr. Donald M. Smith
Email Address: INFO@fedexcourierservices.co.cc
Telephone: +2348037314460.

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your contact address
and Direct Telephone number to them again to avoid any
mistake on the delivery and ask them to inform you of when
your package would get to your contact address once it is
on transit. Let me repeat again, try to contact them as soon
as you receive this mail to avoid further delay and
remember to pay them their Security Keeping fee of $215.75
US Dollars for their immediate action.

You should also let me know through e-mail as soon as you
receive your Draft.

Yours Faithfully,
Dr. Wellington Kennedy.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam