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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.TRACY VAN DIRK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mayor_benson@ig.com.br>
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 21:01:44 -0700
Subject: URGENT: CONTACT UPS COURIER COMPANY NOW.

Good day to you.
I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft of $850,000United States Dollars,but I did not hear from you since for
a couple of weeks now.
Then I went to the bank to confirm if the draft has expired or getting near
to the date of expire and Dr.Wilson the Director Bank of Africa told me that
before the draft will get to your hand that it will expire.
So I told him to cash the $850,000 USD UNITED STATES DOLLARS to cash payment
to avoid losing this funds under expiration as I will be out of the country
for a 3 Months Course and I will not come back till ending of JULY 2011.
What you have to do now is to contact UPS COURIER COMPANY as soon as
possible to know when they will deliver your Consignment to you because of
the expiring date.
For your information,i have paid for the Delivery Charge,Insurance
premium.The only money you will send to the UPS COURIER COMPANY to deliver
your Consignment direct to your postal Address in your country is $100 USD
(One Hundred United States Dollars) only being Security Keeping Fee of the
Courier Company so far.
You have to contact UPS COURIER COMPANY now,for the delivery of your Draft
with this information below.
1.Your Full Name:
2.Your Delivery Address:
3.Your Cell Phone Number:
Company's Name:UPS COURIER COMPANY
Directors Name: MR.MAYOWA BENSON
Email Address: mayor_benson@ig.com.br
Finally,make sure that you re-confirm your Delivery address and Direct
telephone number to them again to avoid any mistake on the Delivery and ask
them to give you the tracking number, after you have sent the Security
Keeping Fee to them,to enable you track your package over there and know
when it will get to your door step so that you can sign on it.
Let me repeat again,contact them as soon as you receive this mail and ask
them how you will make the security fee of $100USD to them to avoid any
further delay any remember to pay them their Security Keeping fee of $100USD
for their immediate action.
NOTE:The UPS COURIER COMPANY don't know the content of the Box. I registered
it as a BOX of Africa cloths.They dont know the contents is money this is to
avoid them delaying with the BOX. Don't let them know that your box content
is money okay.
Mrs.Tracy Van Dirk

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