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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "WILLIAM DUKE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <universalcourierexpress222@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 22:38:54 -0700
Subject: CONTACT UNIVERSAL COURIER COMPANY MANAGER!!



Dear Friend,

After waiting for you to come over and receive your compensation and no response was heard, I registered and paid for the Delivery fee of your cashier check valued $2.500 000.00 Million US Dollars with Universal Courier company, Because I would be traveling to London and you can always reach me on my direct London number +44-792-423-3559.

I would be going to visit a friend and will not be back until August, 2010. I will want you to contact Universal Courier company to know when they will be delivering your parcel containing your compensation bank check.

I have taken care of the delivery charges and the insurance fee, the only fee you will have to pay to them is the monthly demurrage/keeping fee which i did not pay for because i do not know when you will be contacting them for the delivery.

But if you will be very fast in contacting them, you will be charged only one month demurrage fee which will cost only US$80.00 So I urge you to contact them as soon as you receive this email. And send the $80 through Western Union Money Transfer to the delivery manager.

REV. MIKE UDE MANAGER,
UNIVERSAL COURIER COMPANY.
LAGOS, NIGERIA.
E-mail:universalcourierexpress222@gmail.com
Tel: +234-702-852-3932.

Try to contact him as quickly as possible to avoid increase in demurrage fee. Please reconfirm your delivery address again to avoid any mistakes in the delivery of your fund. Send the below information to the company, not po box.

Your Full Name-----------------------
Your Address-------------------------
Home Telephone-----------------------
Office Telephone---------------------

Send the US$80.00 through western union money transfer with the following information.
Receiver Name: Mike Ude
Address: 2B Universal Building Lagos Nigeria.
Text Question: Color
Answer: Blue
Amount: US$:80.00
Send MTCN # ……………….

Note: You are to contact the UNIVERSAL COURIER COMPANY MANAGER via this email: -- (universalcourierexpress222@gmail.com) with the below security code: UN0081, it will identify that you are the owner of the parcel containing the check. Do let me know as soon as you receive the parcel.

Regards,
Dr. William Duke
Tel:+44-792-423-3559.

Anti-fraud resources: