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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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)
  • "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. )
  • "certified bank draft" (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.
  • +22993992240 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Yayi Emma" <emmayayi6@norilsk.biz>
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 18:48:54 +0100
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX COURIER COMPANY NOW


Dear Friend,

We have been waiting for you since to contact us for your Certified Bank
Draft of $850,000 United States Dollars which my boss kept for your past
assistance renderd to him, but we did not hear from you since that time.
Then I went to the bank to confirm if the draft has expired when i get and
Mr. James Williams the Director of the Bank of Africa told me that before
the draft will get to your hand that it will expire. So I told him to cash
the $850,000 USD UNITED STATES DOLLARS to cash payment to avoid losing this
funds under expiration as I will be out out of the country for a 3 Months
Course and I will not come back till end of August 2008.

What you have to do now is to contact the FEDEX COURIER 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 Charge,
Insurance premium.


The only money you will send to the C ourier Company to deliver your
Consignment direct to your postal Address in your country is ($105.00 US)
One Hundred & Five United States Dollars only being Security Keeping Fee of
the Courier Company so far.Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay any
other money except $105.00 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 the FEDEX COURIER COMPANY now for the delivery of your
Draft with this information bellow;


CONTACT PERSON: HON, BLAISE AKUBIA

FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY

ADDRESS: C/216 RUE SALIOU MIDOMBO

Email Address:(fedexcourcompany111@voila.fr)

TEL: +229-93-99-2240


Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address and Direct
telephone number to them 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.

Let me re peat again, try to contact them as soon as you receive this mail
to avoid any further delay and remember to pay them their Security Keeping
fee of $105.00 US Dollars for their immediate action.

Note this. The FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY company don't know the contents
of the Box. I registered it as a BOX of African cloths. They did not know
the contents was money. this is to avoid them delaying with the BOX. Dont
let them know that the box contents money ok.


I am waiting for your urgent response.


Yours Faithfully,


Mr. Emmanuel Yayi

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam