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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:
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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "overseas subscribers agents" (can only win this lottery if you bought a ticket)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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 fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• 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.
  • +447045721584 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • qdell_courierservices@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: PAUL HARRY <microsoftpromo2007claims@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 01:42:21 +0100 (BST)
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?q?ORDER=20NUMBER:=20RH231282[CONTACT=20AFFILIATE=20COURIER?=
=?iso-8859-1?q?=20COMPANY]=FD?=





OVERSEAS SUBSCRIBERS AGENTS

PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
20 Howard Barking London, 7UA11G
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer's Service Center)

Ref Number: MSN/231OXI/04
Batch Number: 12L/2005/04








Dear Conrad Metzhagen
Your completed claims form was received.We have also completed the processing of your winnings









CONGRATULATIONS! This is to inform you that you have been cleared a winner.I am happy to inform you that i have forwarded your Original Certificate and your Certified bank cheque to the Courier company.
Due to your inability to have the means of identification sent to us,you will be required to present your identity card to the courier company on delivery of your parcel.

Find below the details of the courier company.
QDELL COURIER DELIVERY SERVICE INC
ADDRESS: Victoria House, 144-146,
Beddington Lane, CR0 4TD,
ENGLAND, United Kingdom.
NAME: Mr. Mike Smith (Dispatch officer)
EMAIL:qdell_courierservices@yahoo.co.uk
customercare@qdellcourier.net
TEL: +447045721584
However, the cost of the courier service would be made by you; this is because your winnings are insured and not in liquid form as earlier stated, so it is impossible to deduct the charges from your winnings.

You are adviced to send the courier company a mail for their courier cost of delivering of your winning prize to the payment centre. When contacting them, you are to include this order number as your subject. Please you are adviced to write down the order number and save it.
ORDER NUMBER: RH231282

Note: you are to Quote your complete names, address, Ref/Batch Numbers and your direct phone number so that they can honour your letter also do keep me updated with your correspondence with the courier company.

Congratulations,once again.
Yours faithfully,
Mr Paul Harry
Dispatch Officer
Microsoft Award Promotion














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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam