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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:
  • "stamp duty" (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. )
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a next of kin 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.
  • +22993106447 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 02:46:54 +0100
Subject: ATM CARD PAYMENT NOTIFICATION.


ATM CARD PAYMENT NOTIFICATION.
Director Foreign Operations
Payment/Remittance Department
Abbey National Plc. (Benin Republic)
E-mail:( alexgibbs@in.com )
=C2=A0

Attention Beneficiary,

Good day,
I just want to inform you that I have deposited your ATM MASTER CARD of U=
SD $5.500,000,00 United state dollars to the FedEx Delivery services here=
in Benin West Africa, due to I have waited enough to hear from you so th=
at your contract/Inherritance=C2=A0 payment funds will be transferred thr=
ough CENTRAL BANK OF AFRICA (CBOA) here, but because of the late response=
I now decide to deposit the ATM MASTER CARD with the FEDEX DELIVERY SERV=
ICES with your previous information as you listed it that time.

I have paid to them their delivery charges & stamp duty fee, the only fee=
to be paid again is their security safe keeping fee of $210 dollars only=
,Two hundred and ten United State dollars .I would have paid that but the=
y said no because they don't know when you will
contact them and in case of demurrage.

I will be traveling to China to see my boss and I will not come back till=
next four months, therefore I will advise you to contact the FEDEX SHIPM=
ENT officer with his contact information as listed below for the avoidanc=
e of increase of their security safe keeping fee.
Note that I packaged the ATM MASTER CARD inside a magazine where nobody w=
ill notice the content, I also told the shipment officer Rev James Obodo =
, that it is ordinary African magazine I want to deliver to my friend abr=
oad to avoid further delay unless you delay to send their security safe k=
eeping fee $210.
=C2=A0
Below is the shipment officer contact information including his email add=
ress with the parcel reference number, note that without you indicating y=
our parcel number as listed below the FedEx delivery services will not li=
sten to you they will be imagining if you want to steal another persons p=
arcel.
=C2=A0
Attention: Rev. James Obodo Shipment Officer Of FedEx delivery services
Benin Republic.
E-mail:(=C2=A0dfedex@ymail.com )
Tel: +229-93106447
Shipment Code: CPEL/OWN/9876
Parcel Number: EG2272-BJ
=C2=A0
Also below is the information they need to deliver the ATM MASTER CARD in=
form of African Magazine to your address, this is to avoid wrong deliver=
y as I already gave them your delivery address but you have to re-confirm=
it to them ok.

Full name......................
Home address............
Country....................
Telephone...............
Your Picture for Indentification...................
=C2=A0
Please make sure the information is complete as they promised that once t=
hey receive their security safe keeping fee within 2 to 3 working days th=
e magazine will arrived to your door step according to the shipment offic=
er. Once again, the FedEx delivery services do not know the content of th=
e parcel, I registered it as an African magazine they don't know it conta=
ins ATM MASTER CARD inside, this is to avoid them delaying the delivery a=
nd besides I don't want you to lose your inheritance funds.
=C2=A0

Your ATM MASTER CARD withdrawing access pin code number is (1148) take no=
te, once you receive the card you take it to any cash point around your a=
rea, slot it in and enter the pin code for withdrawal, the amount you are=
to withdrew per day is USD$4,500.00. Only (Four thousand=C2=A0 and=C2=A0=
five hunderd United State dollars) each day. Also ask them on how you ar=
e to make the payment for the security fee to them so they can effect imm=
ediate delivery on your parcel.
=C2=A0

Remain blessed and enjoy your funds.

Thanks.
Mr.Alex Gibbs.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam