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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dumorrage" (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. )
  • "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 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.
  • +22993899038 (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.
  • usps@mail.md
  • ups_28@o2.pl

Fraud email example:

From: "paulozoh1 Gazeta.pl" <paulozoh1@gazeta.pl>
Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 19:36:49 +0200
Subject: CONTACT USPS VIA E-MAIL usps@mail.md (or) usps2265@yahoo.dk / FOR YOUR FUNDS BOX


Greetings My Dear
This is to inform you that due to your inablity to contact me on time for
your bank draft of $1.8 MILLION usd as instructed by My Boss,i have waited
for long now yet no result, then i decided to involve the issued bank to
avoid losing of the funds since bank draft have only 21 banking days of
validity.

When i got to the bank,the director told me that the cheque has one week to
expire that after one week it will be invalid then he advised me to hire a
lawyer that can help me to convert the bank draft into cash.I did as he told
me.And he helped me to registered it to the best Delivery company here in
Benin Republic.

Below is thier email address, usps@mail.md (or) ups_28@o2.pl
and the Directors name is ( Dr.Philip Moore
Telephone.......+229-938-99-038
Please do get back to me as soon as you have contacted the security company
so that i can be able to submit your cheque to them immediately.
Thank you.

Note: your package was registered under security monitoring department for
security reasons,he only fee they may demand from you is their dumorrage fee
which is $95.00 as the director told me, tell them that your agent register
your package with them for delivery , there is a place in it they write TRP
when you open it through that side you will see the code to open it

Remember to reconfirm the followings information to them :
Your Full Name ................
Your Home Address..............
Your current Phone Numbers ..............home
Your Cell Numbers...............
update them with your nearest international and local airport

NB; , PLEASE MIND THE PIN CODES SO THAT THEY DON'T MISPLACE YOUR
CONSIGNMENT.
PIN CODE: ZMB 101/68/50/SOUTH AFRICA.
BATCH NO: 40/Z/2007/S.A. VIA. USA.

Thanks
Mr.Paul Ozoh

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam