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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • ",500,000" (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. )
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
• 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.
  • +22997931277 (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.
  • fedex_express@bk.ru (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "David Okeke" <davidokeke13@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:41:10 +0200
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX COURIER SERVICE FOR YOUR BOX


Hello Dear,



I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft of $1,500,000.00 United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you
since for a couple of weeks now.Then I went to the bank to confirm if the
draft has expired or getting near to expire and Mr.Mark Igwe 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 $1,500,000.00 USD UNITED STATES DOLLARS to cash
payment to avoid losing this funds under expiration as I will be out of the
country for a four Months Course and I will not come back till ending of
DECEMBER 2008.



What you have to do now is to contact FEDEX COURIER SERVICES as soon as
possible to know when they will deliver your Consignment to you because of
the expiring date.
For your information, I have paid for the delivering Charge, Insurance
premium.The only money you will send to the FEDEX COURIER SERVICES to
deliver your Consignment direct to your postal Address in your country is
($105.00 US) One Hundred & 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 $105.00 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
FEDEX COURIER SERVICES now for the delivery of your Draft with this
information bellow;



Directors Name: DR. JAMES ANDERSON
Companys Name:FEDEX COURIER SERVICES
ADDRESS: 20/24 Degbago Cresent Walinda House Building,
Cotonou-Benin Republic.
Email Address: FEDEX_EXPRESS@BK.RU
Email address: FEDEX_EXPRESS_BK@LIVE.FR
Fax:00229-21 33 33 33
Phone Number: +229 9793-1277



Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address and Direct
telephone number to avoid any mistake on the Delivery and ask them to keep
you updated on the arrival of your consignment 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 $105.00 US Dollars for their immediate action.



Note this. The FEDEX COURIER SERVICES 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 please.



I am waiting for your urgent response.



Yours Faithfully,
Mr.David Okeke

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam