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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.

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:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "the consignment" (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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "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.
  • thomasgodswill1@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: "officefile23 Gazeta.pl" <officefile23@gazeta.pl>
Date: Sat, 24 May 2008 15:26:49 +0100
Subject: DR, THOMAS GODSWILL


ATTN: FROM DR THOMAS GODSWILL
REPLY TO MY PRIVATE E-MAIL
ADDRESS: thomasgodswill1@yahoo.fr
ATTN:

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.

I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW ME. I AM
DR THOMAS GODSWILL , I WORK IN THE ECO-BANK ,COTONOU,REPUBLIC DU BENIN WEST
AFRICA, PACKAGING AND COURIER DEPARTMENT.

I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN MY SEARCH FOR A HONEST PERSON THROUGH ONE OF MY
COLLEAGUES HERE IN THE ECO-BANK WHO SAID THAT I CAN CONFIDE IN YOU .I WANT
YOU TO HELP ME CLEAR THIS PACKAGE THAT IS ALREADY IN OVERSEAS WHICH I
SHIPPED THROUGH OUR ECO-BANK ACCREDITED COURIER AGENT BUT THE CONTENTS OF
THE PACKAGE IS ;$20,000,000.0) ALL IN $100.00 BILLS, BELONGING TO OUR LATE
CUSTOMER WHODIED EARLIER THIS YEAR, BUT THE COURIER COMPANY DOES NOT KNOW
THAT IT IS MONEY THAT I HAVE IN THE PACKAGE.

ALL I WANT YOU TO DO FOR ME NOW IS TO FORWARD TO ME THIS BELOW INFORMATION.
YOUR CURRENT/PRIVATE MAILING ADDRESS YOUR PRIVATE PHONE AND FAX NUM AND I
HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU WILL HAVE 30% AND 70% WILL BE FOR ME
AND MY COLLEAGUES. MY IDENTITY MUST NOT BE REVEALED TO ANYBODY. IF THIS
ARRANGEMENT IS OKAY BY YOU , YOU CAN E-MAIL ME AT FOR SECURITY REASONS.

OTHER MODALITIES WILL BE DISCUSSED AS SOON AS YOU GET BACK TO ME INCLUDING
SENDING OF THE KEYS TO THE BOXES TO YOU .
NOTE: COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE STRICTLY THROUGH E-MAIL FOR SECURITY REASONS.


YOURS FAITHFULLY,

DR, THOMAS GODSWILL,


IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL AND FEEL THAT YOU WILL ASSIST ME IN THIS
MATTER, SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS ON HOW TO GET THE CONSIGNMENT OF MONEY
DELIVERED TO YOUR ADDRESS AND YOUR SINCERITY TOWARDS THIS MATTER.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam