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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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.

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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge amount of money" (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)
  • "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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Pastor elvis" <pastorelvis14@fastwebmail.it>
Reply-To: Pastorelvisubah@live.fr
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 19:36:19 +0200
Subject: GET IN TOUCH WITH SKYPOWER COURIER AND SECURITY COMPANY IMMEDIATELY


(HILL & COUNSELORS AT LAW)
06 BP 1409 AKPAKPA DODOMEY
COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN.

Dear Friend,

Greetings to you & your Family.I have been waiting for you since to contact
me for your Confirmable Bank Draft of ($1.2m) United States Dollars, but I
did not hear from you since then ,Then I went and deposited the Draft with
skypower Courier and Delivery 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 skypower
Courier Delievery 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 delivery Charges.The only money you will send to the
Courier & Security Company to deliver your Draft direct to your home Address
in your country is ($98) only being their Security Keeping Fee of the
Courier Company so far.Again, Do not be deceived by anybody to pay any
other money except $98.00,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 skypower Courier Delievery Company now for the delivery of
your Draft with this information bellow.



skypower Courier Delievery Company Benin Republic.

E-mail: (skypowercouriera@live.fr)
Registration Reference No; wwdsc/xxx/100
Code Number:xxxdcsc/6545
Phone Number +22-993-811-108


Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your home 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 their Security Keeping fee
of $98 for their immediate action.You should also Let me know through email
as soon as you receive your Draft.



Note. skypower courier delivery company do not know the contents of the
parcel.I registered it as my photograph (pix) being sent to a friend
overseas. They do not know that it contains a bank draft of such a huge
amount of money.This is to avoid them tempering with the parkage. Do not let
them know know the contents.I am waiting to hear the good news from you.


Regards,



Pastor Elvis Ubah.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam