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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)
  • "insurance fee " (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. )
  • "million united states dollars" (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 of america" (this email uses bad English)
  • "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.
  • +22995459590 (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.
  • fedex.expressservices@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Cole Mr.John" <mrjcolefix1@mailbox.hu>
Date: Mon, 19 May 2008 16:23:01 +0200
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX COURIER SERVICE IMMEDIATELY TO RECEIVED YOUR CHEQUE.


Dear Friend,

I have been waiting for you to contact me for your Bank Draft valued at
$1.5Million United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you since that
time so i

went and deposit it to Courier Delivery Company here in Cotonou Benin
Republic

because i waited enough to hear from you so that it can be wired through
Credit Bank

Plc Benin,but due to late delay i deposit it with the FedEx delivery
services, as I

will be out of the country for 6 Months Course and I will not come back
till end of

September 2008.

I have paid for the delivery charges & insurance fee meanwhile the only fee
to pay again is their security keeping fee which is $195.00.I would have
paid the

security keeping fee but the shipment officer refuse and said that it is
against

there operational regulation as they don't know when you will communicate
them for

delivery and also in case of demourrage.

Therefore i will advise you to contact them with their contact
information as listed below to avoid them increase their security fee
because i
package the bank draft inside a magazine then i told the shipment officer
that i
have an African magazine to deliver to my friend in United State of
America so that no delay unless you delay to send their fee of $195.00. So
Below is their contact address including their email with the number of the
parcel.

Attention: Dr.Eduard Graham, Shipment Officer of FedEx delivery services
Benin Republic E-mails: fedex.expressservices@hotmail.com
Office Line: +229 95 45 95 90
Private Line: +229 93 41 12 17
Office Fax: +229 20 21 25 25
Parcel No: Eg2272
Parcel Code No: #01721457

Also below is the information they needed to deliver the bank draft to
you to avoid wrong delivery.

Full name......................
Home address............
Country....................
Telephone...............
Age......................
Sex...............

Please make sure those information is complete as they promised that
once they receive their security keeping fee within 2 to 3 working days your
bank
draft will be delivered to your door step according to the shipment officer.

Note. The FedEx delivery services don't know the contents of the parcel
I registered it as an African magazine they don't know it contents bank
draft this is to avoid them delaying the delivery.

You can even call the shipment officer to confirm +229 93 41 12 17.

Let me know immediately you receive your Draft.

Thanks,

Mr John Cole.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam