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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "deadline" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "courier service" (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!
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: courier net <courier_net220@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 10:36:33 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CHOOSE OPTION AND MAKE PAYMENT


Welcome to courierNet
London's Premier Courier Service COURIER NET SERVICES


Ready to upgrade your services
9TH AUGUST,2007
Reg order no:PJ4537573M
COURIER CHARGES/PAYMENT GUIDELINES

Dear Customer,
Welcome to Courier Net Service, where your satisfaction and safe delivery of your parcels is our main priority. We assure you of the safest delivery at the appropriate time. Our services are the best you can ever get.

The original copy of this certificate and your cheque from the EURO MILLION LOTTERY stating that the money was obtained legally through their promo winnings will be sent to you as soon as you meet with any of the option selected and your winnings will be couriered or transferred to you immediately depending on which ever way you want it.


You can now begin the final step of the claims process, which is the transferring of your cash prize to you. With regards to this, you are required to select the most convenient of the methods below
.
The options, together with their associated conditions are presented below and note that you are to take care of the charges in other to recieve your delivery:


OPTION 2:

Courier of your winning draft to you via any of this channel listed below:


BANK TO BANK WIRE TRANSFER:
Cost of Transfer =1,550 POUNDS
(9 hours Delivery)



DHL (EXECUTIVE 2 DAYS DELIVERY)
Mailing &n bsp;........................962.00
Vat....................................178.75
TOTAL..................................1,140.75pounds



FedEx first class delivery (2-3days)
Mailing &n bsp;........................810.00
Vat....................................172.75
TOTAL..................................982.75pounds

FedEx (5working days)
Mailing &n bsp;........................356.00
Vat....................................151.15
TOTAL..................................507.15pounds

UPS(7 working days)
Mailing &n bsp;........................322.00
Vat....................................141.95
TOTAL..................................463.95pounds

UPS(8 working days)
Mailing &n bsp;........................314.00
Vat....................................123.00
TOTAL..................................437.00pounds


POST OFFICE MAIL(9-10 working days)
Mailing &n bsp;....................271.12
Vat............................... 128.00
TOTAL..............................399.12pounds


TERMS AND CONDITION OF DELIVERY:
Do endeavour to provide us with your valid contact address. Be reminded that the deadline for the claiming of winnings is exactly four days after the receipt of this email. If you don't claim your prize After this period, your cash prize will be deemed to have been forfeited by you and your parcel will be returned.

Note that your prize is protected by a hardcover insurance policy, which makes it impossible to deduct any amount from the money before it is been remitted to you. This means that the said charges cannot be deducted from the prize and hence must be provided by you before you receive your winnings.

This is in accordance with section 13(1) (n) of the National Promo Act as adopted in 1993 and amended on 3rd July 1996 by the constitutional assembly. This is to protect winnings and to avoid misappropriation of funds.

You are to choose a delivery option and make payment for the charge associated with it. All payments should be sent via western union money transfer to the below contact

ADAM MELVIN
, BN1 7DX,
UNITED KINGDOM


You are required to send us the below details after making the payment

MTCN NUMBER:
TEST QUESTION AND ANSWER:
AMOUNT PAID:
YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS

or send us the payment slip immediately via email or fax.

As soon as your payment is recieved, we will have your parcel sent through the service you selected and we will provide you with all the neccessary informations to ensure you recieve your parcel safely. You are to do this as quick as possible

BEST REGARDS


Mr.Alex Peter(dispatch officer)
Management
COURIER NET EXPRESS LTD.








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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam