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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.

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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "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.
  • +22998119849 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:46:28 +0100
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY THEM NOW


Dear Friend,

Greetings!

I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable INTE=
RNATIONAL BANK DRAFT of $12.850 million United

States Dollars, but I did not hear from you since that time.

and the manager of Eko Bank Benin told me that before the check will get =
to you that it will expire.

So i told him to cash $12.850,M USD all the necessary arrangement of deli=
vering the $12.850,M USD in cash was made with

manager of Eko Bank BENIN.

Then I went and registered the package with FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY=
BENIN Republic before traveling out of the country

for a 3 Months Course and I will not come back till next year.
=C2=A0
What you have to do now is to contact the FEDEX COURIER COMPANY BENIN as =
soon as possible to know when they will deliver your

package Box to you because of the expiring date.

For your information, I have paid for the registration and the delivering=
Charges of the Box to your Home Address.
=C2=A0
The only money you will send to the FedEx Express Courier Company to enab=
le them deliver your package direct to your postal

Address in your country is ($455.00 US) Four Hundred and fifty five Unite=
d States Dollars only being the Security Keeping Fee

of the Company so far.

I would have paid that but they said no because they don't know when you =
will contact them and in case of demurrage.
=C2=A0
You have to contact the FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY BENIN now for the d=
elivery of your Box with this information below:

Contact person's name is:Dr.CHARLES DONALD

Manager Gs.FEDEX DELIVERING COMPANY BENIN

E-mail:fedex.comp@live.com

Contact Tele Phone Number:+229-98-11-98-49.

Finally, I gave them your delivering address but you have to reconfirm it=
to them again to avoid any mistake on the

delivering of the package to you.

So make sure that you reconfirm your home address and direct telephone nu=
mbers to them.

And ask them to give you the tracking number to enable you track your pac=
kage 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 emai=
l to avoid any further
delay and remember to pay them their Security Keeping fee of $455.00 US D=
ollars for their immediate action.

You should also let me know through email as soon as you have received yo=
ur package.

Yours Faithfully,

FRANK WILLIAMS=C2=A0=C2=A0=20

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam