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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "security keeping fee" (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 send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
  • "the consignment" (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)
  • "consignment " (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)
  • "million 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)
  • "i will advice you " (this email uses bad English)
  • "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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Frank Lord"<unahwi.john225@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: <fedexcourter@sify.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:47:24 +0100
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX COURIER COMPANY FOR YOUR DELIVERY


El programa de detección de Spam del sistema "dns1.ciberweb.com.mx", ha
identificado este mensaje como "correo basura". Aùn así, el
mensaje original no se ha borrado para su chequeo, si lo
era, podría bloquearlo en su programa de correo (cree un "filtro"
a partir de la etiqueta "X-Spam-Score"). Si tiene alguna duda,
contacte con el administrador para más detalles.

Contenido: ATTENTION!!! I have been waiting for you to come down
here and pick your $4.5 Million Dollars USD but I did not heard from
you. Then I went and deposited the $4.5 Million Dollars USD, as a
consignment boxes to FEDEX COURIER COMPANY BENIN BRANCH. in Benin
Republic, because I travelled to SAUDI ARABIA and i will not come back
till next month end. I want you to contact the FEDEX COURIER COMPANY
BENIN BRANCH. to know when they will deliver your consignment boxes to
you. Please i want to let you know that only the director knows the
content and no body else knows about this only Dr Aminu Yayi the
director So please waist no time in contacting them with the below
information. I have paid for the delivery fee so the only money you have
to send to them now is the security keeping fee of your consignment.
Please i will advice you to be friendly with Dr Aminu Yayi the director
because he alone has the idea of the content of your consignment. But i
want to let you know that i did not give him the key of the boxes so
please take note so as soon as they deliver the consignment use
this(Code numbers to open the tow boxes to know if the complete amount
of $4.5 Million Dollars USD is in it. The first box code (0036589) the
second box code (0014759) and i want you to keep this code numbers
confidential in your home to avoid another person getting in touch with
your money. may God bless you and your family. [...]

Detalles del análisis: (10.3 puntos, 5.0 requeridos)

pts regla aplicada descripción
---- ---------------------- ---------------------------------------
1.0 UNDISC_RECIPS Valid-looking To "undisclosed-recipients"
1.1 MSGID_FROM_MTA_ID Message-Id for external message added locally
1.0 SUBJ_ALL_CAPS Subject is all capitals
1.5 FORGED_YAHOO_RCVD 'From' yahoo.com does not match 'Received' headers
2.4 MILLION_USD BODY: Talks about millions of dollars
3.4 FORGED_MUA_OUTLOOK Forged mail pretending to be from MS Outlook

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam