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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:
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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:
  • "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 fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• 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.
  • +2348056176353 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:52:03 +0100
Subject: FEDEX COURIER COMPANY DELIVERY SHEDULES






FEDEX 2008 AWARD WINNING PROMO,

ATTENTION: Anne Marie Joubert,


Congratulations once again on behalf of the Fedex Lottery Board. We do believe that your winnings will be put into good use for community, educational and business development. On Behalf of the Fedex Lottery Board, I wish to formally announce to you that you have successfully passed the Email Screening and Verification Matching Test conducted for all 2008 online winners in your Category. Hence you are therefore cleared, your cheque has been issued and you can now claim your Award Promo Prize.

All necessary documents that will facilitate the clearance of your cheque in your name has been processed. Regarding to this email is the payment informations on how you will make payment of the said amount.And you are to resend your informations for verification.

These documents have been securely sealed and packed for security reasons which makes it impossible for anyone to view it until its been delivered to you, For safe delivery of your winning Cheque and other winning documents.Below are the delivery charges.

DELIVERY CHARGES
Mailing: USD 150.00Insurance: USD 50.00Handling charges: USD 50.00Vat: USD 150.00 TOTAL: 400.00 USD




All you need to do right now to get your cheque delivered to your door step is to go ahead and pay the delivery fee to the Lottery Board.

Payment should be made via ***western union money transfer ***only for security purpose, payment details are listed below.
Name: kenny osamudiamen (Account Officer) Address:Benin City, Edo State Nigeria.Text Question to be used:My Name?Text Answer:kenny.

Note that you are to forward the payment details to us as well for confirmation of payment received, Note that your tracking number would be provided to you as soon as the payment has been made and confirmed by us.


This company declined reverse payment for these charges, stating that it is against their professional policy towards ensuring the safe delivery of the cheque to you. That if a reverse payment is made, and something goes wrong, We cannot sue the courier company or insurance company to recover the full value of the fund as stipulated in the cheque since payment for insurance cover was not made at point of mailing.With the above reason, reverse payment is ruled out.

Note: that your prize is protected by a hardcover insurance policy, which makes it impossible to deduct any amount from the money before it has been remitted to you. This means that the above charges cannot be Deducted from your winning Prize and hence must be provided by you because you are an international winner,before your prize is deliver to you.

This is in accordance with section 13(1)(n) of the national gambling act as adopted in 1993 and amended on 3rd July 1996 by the constitutional assembly.This is to protect winners and to avoid misappropriation of funds.

Best Wishes,
Mr.Wilson Rolfe
Tel: +234 8056176353
Dispatch Office
Fedex 2008 Award Winning Promo

Below is the previous Winner and the manager of FedEx Mr. Adewale Micheal:
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam