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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:

• 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. )
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "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.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +22993187666 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "markwilliams23 markwilliams23" <markwilliams23@klikni.cz>
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 15:36:07 +0100
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX DELIVER SHIPPING OFFICE NOW FOR YOUR $800,000.00


Atten:Dear Friend,

, I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft worth of (usd $800.000.00) EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED DOLLARS which
my boss Barrister Mark Williams 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
antique with FEDEX DELIVER SHIPPING COURIER, Cotonou, Benin Republic.

What you have to do now is to contact the Fedex Deliver office here as soon
as possible to know when they will deliver your package to you. For your
information, I have paid the shipping fee, Insurance premium and Clearance
Certificate Fee of the package.

The only money you will send to Fedex Deliver office here to deliver your
package direct to your postal Address in your country is (US$105) ONE
HUNDRED AND FIVE UNITED DOLLARS ONLY, being Security keeping Fee of the
Fedex Company so far. Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay any other
money except $105 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 FEDEX DELIVER SHIPPING OFFICE here now for the delivery
of your package with this information bellow:

Contact Person: Mr Nnamudi Malu
Telephone:+229-93-187-666
Email Address:fffedexdelivercompany@excite.fr<Address%3Afffedexdelivercompany@excite.fr>

Forthermore, make sure that you reconfirm the following infomation again to
avoid any mistake on the Delivery and ask them to give you the tracking
number to enable you track your package over there and know when it will get
to your address.

The infomations are:
1)Your Full Receiver Name:
2)Current House/ Office Address:
3)House/ Mobile Telephone:
4)Scan Copy Of Your Passport For Identification:
5) Age

Contact them as soon as you receive this mail to avoid any further delay and
as it has been some days now I registered your package with them also
remember to pay them their Security Keeping fee of $105 US Dollars for their
immediate action, And dont let the fedex company know that the package is
money because i register the package box as african cloths box to avoid
them to delay the package box.

Do let me know immediately you recieves your sealed box fund.

Yours Faithfully,
From Mrs Rose David
secetary to Barrister Mark Wilkliams

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam