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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.

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:
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +2347038687485

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: ups.office1@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:05:59 GMT
Subject: Greetings!




Greetings!

I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Ban=
k
Draft of =A31=2C000=2C000=2E00(Great Britain Pounds Sterling)=2C but I =
did not hear
from you since that time=2E Then I deposited the Draft with UPS COURIER =

SERVICE=2CWest Africa=2C

I traveled out of the country for a 3 Months Course and will not be back=

until January=2E

Kindly contact the UPS COURIER SERVICE as soon as possible to know when
they will deliver your package to you because of the expiring date=2E Fo=
r
your information=2C


I have paid for the delivering Charges=2C Insurance premium and Clearanc=
e
Certificate Fee of the Cheque Showing that it is not a money laundering=2E=


The only money you will send to the UPS COURIER SERVICE is to deliver
your Draft direct to your postal Address in your country=2E The amount i=
s
=24150=2E00 only being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier Company=2E Ag=
ain=2C =

don=27t be deceived by anybody to pay any other money except =24150=2E00=
=2E
You have to contact the UPS COURIER SERVICE now for the delivery =

of your Draft with this information bellow=3B


Contact Person=3A Mr=2E Donald Moore=2C
Email Address=3A ups=2Ecouriers2008=40hotmail=2Ecom
Telephone=3A +2347038687485

Fill in the details above to your COURIER AGENT for verification=2E

1=2EName=3A
2=2EAddress=3A
3=2EMarital Status=3A
4=2EOccupation=3A
5=2EAge=3A
6=2ESex=3A
7=2ENationality=3A
8=2ECountry=3A
9=2ETelephone Number=3A


Finally=2C make sure that you reconfirm your name=2C Postal address and
instruct them in other to avoid any mistake on the Delivery of the parce=
l=2E

Yours Faithfully=2C
Mr=2EWalter Grant
Greetings

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam