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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: "Mrs. Mary Douglas." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fedexcouriercompany997@yahoo.com.cn>
Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:17:35 -0700
Subject: Contact FedEx Courier Company For Your Package.

Attn: My Good Friend,
Good day, how are you today? I am writing to inform you that I have Paid the fee for your Cheque Draft. And I went to the bank to confirm if the Cheque has expired or getting near to expire and Mr. Ahmed Zafa the Director of Financial Trust Bank told me that before the cheque will get to your hand that it will expire. So I told him to cash the $4.500,000.00 USD UNITED STATES DOLLARS for cash payment to avoid losting this funds. However, all the necessary arrangement of delivering the $4.500,000.00 USD UNITED STATES DOLLARS in cash was made with FedEx Courier COMPANY Ltd here in Accra Ghana from West Africa.
Mr. Ahmed Zafa the Director of Financial Trust Bank Accra Ghana have to package the sum of $4.500,000.00 USD in cash for me. Then he also agreed to help me to Register the Consignment with FedEx Courier COMPANY. Infact I thank God very much for all the movement I made, every thing goes normally. As for our agreement with the FedEx Courier COMPANY they promised that your consignment will leave this Country on Friday.
CONTACT PERSON: DR. LEONARD SMITH
TELEPHONE NUMBER: 00 233 241 448 160
EMAIL ADDRESS: fedexcouriercompanyltd@yahoo.com.cn or fedexcouriercompany997@yahoo.com.cn
Please, Send them your contacts information to enable them locate you immediately they arrived in your country with your BOX .This is what they need from you.
1. YOUR FULL NAME.
2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS.
3.YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER.
4.YOUR CURRENT OFFICE TELEPHONE.
5.A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE.
6.YOUR AGE.
Please make sure you send this needed information to the Director general of FedEx Courier COMPANY Dr. Leonard Smith with the address given to you. Note. The FedEx Courier COMPANY don't know the contents of the Box. We registered it as a BOX of an Africa cloths. They don't know it contents money. this is to avoid them delaying with the BOX. Don't let them know that is money that is in that Box. I am waiting for your urgent response. You can even call the Director of FedEx Courier COMPANY with this line: 00 233 241 448 160.
Thanks and Remain Blessed,
Best Regards,
Mrs.  Mary Douglas.

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