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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found 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.
  • +22997527252 (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.
  • fcompanybenin20@yahoo.de (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "mrstonycooke9 Gazeta.pl" <mrstonycooke9@gazeta.pl>
Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 06:18:45 +0200
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX OFFICE FOR YOUR CONSIGNMENT BOX


Attn My Dear Friend,

I have paid the fee for your cheque draft and i took it to the FINANCIAL
BANK PLC to confirm it then the Manager of the Bank MR BENARD UGO told me
that before the check can get to you it will expire on the way and if it
expired it will become useless so He advice me to convert $1.5m (ONE MILLION
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) into cash and pack it into the strong iron
box and deposit it in FEDEX EXPRESS DELIVERY COMPANY BENIN REPUBLIC to
deliver it in cash to you.and i did it as he advice me because he is a
banker he knows the durability of any foriegn check or draft.
I deposited the said package in the FedEX EXpress Delivey Company as an
cotton materials for secuirty reasons.

This is the registration Number of your Package Fed/122p/mtm/2007 Zip
Code;0113388 so do not let the company to know the real contents of the
package so that they can deliver it for you safely.
I want you to contact the company immediately with the following
informations though i give them your information but you need to reconfirm
it for them.
Below is the required infomation you need to give them now,

1.YOUR FULL NAME AND HOME ADDRESS
2.YOUR PHONE AND FAX NUMBER
3.A COPY OF YOUR PHOTO
4.YOUR AGE AND MARITAL STATUS

All these things is needed from you now to submmit to the company for urgent
delivery of your package contains $1.5m
Please contact the delivery company immediately and reconfirm your info to
them to enable their agent locate you when he arrived in your country.

This is the company contact info.
Email; fcompanybenin20@yahoo.de DR. DAVID TANKO Director General
FEDEX EXpress Delivery Company Benin Republic.
Tel;+229 97 527 252

Please contact the company immediately you receive this email so that your
package will leave tonight to be deliver to you.
Get back to me as soon as you receive your package from the company.

Regards

MR STONYCOOKE Esq.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam