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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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.

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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:
  • "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. )
  • "million united states 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "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 "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
• 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.
  • ups_couriercompany11@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Nelson" <nelsonwilliams2@centrum.sk>
Date: Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:49:38 +0200
Subject: CONTACT UPS COURIER COMPANY FOR YOUR PACKAGE,


Good Day,
 
I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank Draft of $2,000,000.00,Two  Million United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you since that time. Then I went to the bank to confirm if the draft has expired or getting near to expire and Mr. Justin Yayi the Director Bank of Africa told me that before the draft will get to your hand that it will expire. So I told him to cash the $2.5 Million United States Dollars to cash payment to avoid losing this funds under expiration as I m,already out  of the country so all you to do is to contact the Ups Courier Company in benin, for your package,
 
What you have to do now is to contact the UPS COURIER COMPANY 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 Courier Company to deliver your Consignment direct to your postal Address in your country is ($105 USD) One Hundred &amp; five United States 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 $105 US Dollars. I would have paid that but they said no because they don't know when you will contact them and in case of demurrage.
 
You have to contact the UPS COURIER COMPANY now for the delivery of your Draft with this information bellow;
 
Contact Person: Rev,  John Agbala,
Email Address: ups_couriercompany11@yahoo.fr
 
Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address and Direct telephone number 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. 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 $105 US Dollars for their immediate action.
 
Note this. The UPS COURIER SERVICE company don't know the contents of the Box. I registered it as a BOX of Africa cloths. They did not know the contents was money. this is to avoid them delaying with the BOX. Don’t let them know that box contents money ok. I am waiting for your urgent response.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr Nelson Williams,
 

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam