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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",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)
  • "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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2008 09:25:49 +0100
Subject: MY DEAR FRIEND,


MY DEAR FRIEND,
=C2=A0
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.
=C2=A0
I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW ME.I A=
M MR GEORGE EBUKA, I WORK IN THE ECO-BANK COTONOU, REPUBLIC OF BENIN,WEST=
AFRICA, PACKAGING AND COURIER DEPARTMENT. I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN MY SEARC=
H FOR A HONEST PERSON THROUGH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE IN THE ECO-BANK W=
HO SAID THAT I CAN CONFIDE IN YOU.
=C2=A0
I WANT YOU TO HELP ME CLEAR THIS PACKAGE THAT IS ALREADY IN COTONOU-BENIN=
WHICH I SHIPPED THROUGH OUR ECO-BANK ACCREDITED COURIER AGENT BUT THE CO=
NTENTS OF THE PACKAGE IS ($20,000,000.00) ALL IN $100.00 BILLS, BELONGING=
TO OUR LATE COSTOMER WHO DIED EARLIER THIS YEAR, BUT THE COURIER COMPANY=
DOES NOT KNOW THAT IT IS MONEY THAT WE=C2=A0 HAVE IN THE PACKAGE. ALL I =
WANT YOU TO DO FOR ME NOW IS TO FORWARD TO ME THIS BELOW INFORMATION=20
=C2=A0
YOUR CURRENT/PRIVATE MAILING ADDRESS=20
YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE=20
YOUR AGE AND OCCUPATION
=C2=A0
I HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY,YOU WILL HAVE 40% AND 60% WILL BE FOR M=
E AND MY COLLEAGUES.MY IDENTITY MUST NOT BEREVEALED TO ANYBODY.
IF THIS ARRANGEMENT IS OKAY BY YOU, YOUR DELIVERY INFORMATION REQUESTED A=
BOVE IS NEEDED.
=C2=A0
E-MAIL ME AT mrgeorgeebuka14@live.fr FOR SECURITY REASONS. OTHER MODALITI=
ES WILL BE DISCUSSED AS SOON AS YOU GET BACK TO ME INCLUDING SENDING OF T=
HE KEYS TO THE BOXES TO YOU. NOTE: COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE STRICTLY THROU=
GH E-MAIL=C2=A0 FOR SECURITY REASONS.
=C2=A0

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR GEORGE EBUKA.=20

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam