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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.

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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • +22993840241 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • global_trust_company0214@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: jameswood2@zipmail.com.br
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 10:03:29 +0100
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Dear=20Friend=2C?=

Dear Friend,
Compliment of the Season

Greetings to you & your Family. I have been waiting for you since to contact
me for your Confirmable bank Draft what total sum of $900,000.00 United
States Dollars,Noted your check is deposited with Global Courier Express
& Security Company,Cotonou, Benin Republic.


Furthermore,what you have to do now is to contact Global Courier Express
& Security
Company as soon as possible to know when they will deliver your package,because
of the
expiring mandate.

I paid f or the delivering charges and insurance fee,The only money you
will send to Global Courier Epress & Security Company to deliver your Draft
direct to your postal Address in your

country is ($100) One Hundred United States of America Dollars only being
their Security Keeping fee,

I would have paid that but they said no because they don't know when you
will contact them and in case of demurrage.You have to contact Global Courier
Express & Security Company for the delivery of your Draft with this information
bellow.

Contact Person; Dr,Edwin Igwe.
Email Address: global_trust_company0214@yahoo.fr
Tel/FAX;(+229-93 840-241)

Finally make sure that you reconfirm your delivery address to them again
to avoid any mistake on the Delivery and ask them to give you the tracking
number to enable you track your package over there and know When it will
get to your address.You should also Let me know as soon as you receive your
Draft. I will be awaiting yourresponse to this email


Yours Faithfully,
Mr James R. Kurtz

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam