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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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 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.
  • fedex_frd2008@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: jimpeter2@freenet.de
Date: Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:09:46 +0200
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX COURIER FOR THE FINAL DELIVERY OF YOUR FUND


Dear Friend,

Greetings!

I have been waiting for you since to contact
me for your Confirmable Bank Draft worth of (usd $850.000)EIGHT HUNDRED
AND FIFTY THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS which my boss left with me
before he travelled out,but I did not hear from you since that time.
Then with the help of a friend who is a bank manager I cashed the money
and deposited it as a BOX containing African clothes with FEDEX COURIER
AND SECURITY SERVICE COMPANY PLC, Cotonou, Benin Republic.

What you
have to do now is to contact FEDEX COURIER AND SECURITY SERVICE COMPANY
PLC, as soon as possible to know when they will deliver your package to
you. For your information, I have paid for the delivering Charge and
Clearance Certificate Fee of the package.

The only money you will send
to the Courier & Security Company to deliver your package direct to your
postal Address in your country is ($145.00US)ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTY FIVE
UNITED STATE DOLLARS ONLY, being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier
Company so far. Again, don\'t be deceived by anybody to pay any other
money except $145.00 US Dollars. 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 the FEDEX COURIER AND SECURITY SERVICE
COMPANY PLC,now for the delivery of your package with this information
bellow;

Contact Person:.. REV.DR.JOSEPH DIKE.
Email Addresses:...
fedex_frd2008@yahoo.com

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm the
following infomation to them again to avoid any mistake on the Delivery.

The infomations are;

1.YOUR FULL NAME;
2.YOUR AGE;
3.HOUSE/OFFICE
ADDRESS
4.HOUSE / OFFICE PHONE NOS
5.A COPY OF YOUR PICT FOR
IDDENTIFICATION

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
only the Security Keeping fee of $145.00US Dollars for their immediate
action.Do let me know immediately you recieves your package.
Yours
Faithfully,
MR. JEAN BEAL.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam