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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:
  • "million united states dollars" (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)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "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 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.
  • +22997563507 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "agulu eri" <agulueri9@ig.com.br>
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 15:40:12 +0100
Subject: Contact APEX COURIER SERVICE For Your Bank Draft!


Dear Freind,

Greetings to you & your Family.

I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft of $2.3MILLION United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you
since that time ,Then I went and deposited the Draft with APEX Global
Security Company Cotonou Benin Republic before I travelled out of the
country for a short Course and i will not come back till end of next Month.

What you have to do now is to contact the APEX Global Security Company as
soon as possible to know when they will deliver your package to you because
of the expiring date.

For your information, I have paid for the delivering Charges,showing that it
is not a Drug Money nor to sponsor Terrorist attack in your Country,The only
money you will send to the Courier & Security Company to deliver your Draft
direct to your postal Address in your country is ($283.00) only being their
Security Keeping Fee of the Courier Company so far.

Again, 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 the APEX Global Security Company now for the delivery of
your PACKAGE with this information bellow. Managing Director of APEX Global
Security Company Benin Republic.

CONTACT PERSON;REV.STANLY UBAH
E-MAIL:(apex_courier.dispatch.unitbenin.rep@live.com)
PHONE NUMBER +229-97 563 507.

Provide to them your registration NO.of your package.
Registration No; Eg2272
Code Number::01721457

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address and Direct
telephone number to them again to avoid any mistake on the Delivery and Let
me repeat again,try to contact them as soon as you receive this mail to
avoid any further delay and remember to pay them th eir Security Keeping fee
of $283.00 for their immediate action.You should also Let me know through e
mail as soon as you receive your package.

Note. The APEX Global Security Company don't know the contents of the Box. I
registered it as a Box of an Africa cloths. They don't know it contents
money. this is to avoid them delaying with the Box. don't let them know what
is contains.

I am waiting for your urgent response. You can even call the Managing
Director of APEX Global Security Company, REV.STANLY UBAH with this line
+229-97 563 507.

Yours Faithfully,
Mr Usman John.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam