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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:
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  • ups00229@gmail.com
  • ups_00229@mail.md

Fraud email example:

From: "paulozoh4 Gazeta.pl" <paulozoh4@gazeta.pl>
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 21:00:41 +0200
Subject: CONTACT UPS VIA E-MAIL ( ups00229@gmail.com (or) ups_00229@mail.md ) FOR YOUR CONSIGNMENT FUNDS


BP485 Rue de Governeur Fourn Cotonou, Benin Republic




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, ( ups00229@gmail.com (or) ups_00229@mail.md
)

and the Directors name is ( Dr.Philip Moore
Telephone.......+229-938-99-038

Note: your package was registered under security monitoring department for
security reasons,he only fee they may demand from you is their security
keeping fee which is $100.00 as the director told me, tell them that your
agent register your package with them for delivery .

Ask them to send you a copy of your consignment before you send them the
money,and they will send you deposit slip, but make sure you send them the
$100.00 immediately , they will send you the copy of your consignment ok.

Remember to reconfirm the followings information to them :
Your Full Name ................
Your Home Address..............
Your current Phone Numbers ......... which they can get you anytime they
call you.
A Copy of your picture.....
Your country.......

UPDATE THEM WITH YOUR NEARST INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL AIRPORT , AND TELL THEM
TO SEND YOU A COPY OF YOUR CONSIGNMENT BEFORE YOU SEND THEY $100.00 ,BUT IF
YOU ARE NOT THE REAL PERSON PLEASE DON'T CONTACT THEM OK.

NB; , PLEASE MIND THE PIN CODES SO THAT THEY CONNOT 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