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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
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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)
  • "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 "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
• 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.
  • +22993937714 (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.
  • fedexexpress62@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Frank Udoh<frankudoh05@freenet.de>
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:55:17 +0200
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX EXPRESS SERVICES FOR YOUR PACKAGE IMMEDIATELY


Dear friend,
How are you today ?. I\'m writing to inform you that I have
Paid the fee for your Draft Cheque. Yesterday, I went to the bank to
confirm if the Cheque has expired or getting near to expire and Mr.Ahmed
Zuma the Director of B.O.A Bank Of Africa told me that before the cheque
will get to your hand that it will expire. So I told him to cash the
$850,000.00, to avoid losing this funds under expiration as I will be
out out of the country for a 3 Months Course and I will not come back
till end of June 2008. What you have to do now is to contact the FedEx
Delivery Express as soon as possible to know when they will deliver your
package to you because of the expiring date. For your information, I
have paid for the isurance and delivering Charge.

The only money you
will send to the FedEx Express to deliver your Consignment direct to
your postal Address in your country is US$106 One Hundred & Six United
States Dollars only being Security Keeping Fee for the Fedex Service so
far.Again, don\'t be deceived by anybody to pay any other money except
US$106.00. I would have paid that but they said no because they don\'t
know when you will contact them and in case of dumourrage on your
Package with them.

Please write a letter of application to the given
address below:

Company Name: FedEx Express
Director: Dr.Obi
Morgan
Contact Email: fedexexpress62@yahoo.fr
Contact Tel:
+229-9393-7714
Contact Fax: +229-2881-1040

Finally, make sure that you
reconfirm your Postal address, nearest local and international airport,
Direct telephone number to them again to avoid any mistake on the
Delivery. They will issue you a tracking #, to enable you track your
consignment box and know when it will get to your house.

Let me
repeat again, try to contact them as soon as you receive this mail to
avoid any further delay and remember to pay them their Security Keeping
fee of $106.00 for their immediate action to deliver urgently.
Note
that: The FedEx Express don\'t know the contents of the Box. I
registered it as a BOX of African cloths. They did not know that the
contents was money, this is to avoid them delaying or termpering with
the BOX. Don\'t let them know that the box contains money ok.
Thanks
and More Blesssing.

Regards,
Rev. Dr, Frank Udoh

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam