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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +22997150853 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: jimpeters13@freenet.de
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:36:15 +0100
Subject: YOUR AWAITING PAYMENT.


HELLO DEAR ,

THEIR IS GOOD NEWS TODAY, BECAUSE WE JUST RECEIVED
INSTRUCTION FROM BARRISTER, WILLIAM COLE, TO CONTACT YOU TODAY.

AS
YOU KNOW, BEFORE BARRISTER, WILLIAM COLE, LEFT THIS COUNTRY HE DEPOSITED
A CASHIER\'S CHECK OF ($1,800,000.00) WITH US, HOPING THAT YOU WILL
CONTACT THIS COMPANY AND RECEIVED IT BUT SINCE THEN WE HAVE BEEN WAITING
TO HEAR FROM YOU BUT THERE WAS KNOW CONTACT FROM YOU.

THE GOOD NEWS
TODAY IS THAT BARRISTER WILLIAM COLE, HAVE CONTACTED US BACK WITH YOUR
EMAIL ADDRESS ASKING THIS COMPANY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU, BECAUSE WE
HAVE BEEN RESTLESSLY WAITING FOR YOUR MAIL.

ACTUALLY YOU ARE THE
RIGHTFUL BENEFICIARY OF THE CASHIER CHECK, WITH CODE (2661428) AS IT WAS
IN OUR RECORD, KINDLY FILL THE BELOW FORM AND REPLY BACK ASAP, CALL ME
AS SOON AS YOU REPLY THIS MAIL TO ENABLE US ACT FAST.

RECONFIRM THIS
BELOW INFORMATION BACK TO US.

1. YOUR FULL NAME:
2. YOUR HOME
ADDRESS:
3. YOUR CURRENT TELEPHONE NUMBER:

BARRISTER WILLIAM COLE, HAS
PAID FOR THE DELIVERING CHARGES OF $775 UNITED STATE DOLLARS SINCE LAST
YEAR, THE ONLY MONEY YOU HAVE TO PAY NOW IS THE SECURITY KEEPING FEE
WHICH IS ONLY $275 US DOLLARS, AND YOU RECEIVED YOUR CHECK, DON\'T BE
DECEIVED BY ANYBODY, SO RECONFIRM IN OTHER FOR YOU RECEIVED YOUR CHECK.


THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU AS WE AWAIT TO RECEIVE YOUR REPLY ON THIS
EMAIL ADDRESS:(trustlinkcourierservice200855@live.com).

MR.
STEPHEN.
TRUST LINK COURIER SERVICE.
PHONE: 00229-9715-0853

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam