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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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 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.
  • inpex-courierexpress-@mail.md
  • marcelbriko@ig.com.br

Fraud email example:

From: "MARCEL BRIKO" <marcelbriko12@ig.com.br>
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 21:21:15 +0100
Subject: contact inpex courier company now for your chegue


Dear Friend,

It has been long we communicated last, am so sorry for the delay ,I mean
your cheque of USD$950.000.00 that my boss asked me to mail to you as soon
as you request for it , but due to some high price of courier company you
fails to respond to me, and presently the
cheque is still with me here in Benin Republic,I went to the bank to verify
if the status of the cheque but i was told that your cheque is good that you
can cash the cheque in any bank in the world,I wich to inform you that I
have find A new contact from a friend of mine
who works with Diplomatic Courier Company here in BENIN REPUBLIC that will
deliver your cheque at your door step with a cheeper rate, which the company
said that it will cost you the sum of $98.00 us dollars,so you have to hurry
up and register with them now.

And try to ask them to give you the Direction which you will use to send the
$98.00 to them to enable them proceed the delivery of your cheque,because
your draft is already with them, the draft was packaged in a way that the
courier company will not open it untill you
receive it according to them it will only take them 2 days to deliver the
cheque to your door step,so my friend you have to hurry up and make sure you
send the $98.00 to them to enable them deliver the draft to you ,contact
them immedaitely with the information giving to
you, so that your $950.000.00 will be deliver to you this week,
Below is their email address:(inpex-courierexpress-@mail.md)
And the Directors name is ( DR Agnes Cole)
Please do send your full address to them such as

YOUR FULL NAME .........

YOUR ADDRESS WHERE THE DRAFT WILL BE DROP.........

YOUR CONTACT PHONE................

And try to get back to me by w riting me through
my private email address; (marcelbriko@ig.com.br)
I wait to hear from you soon.

Thank you.
Sec Marcel Briko

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam