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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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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)
  • "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.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "john hillary" <hillary012@gala.net>
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:44:08 +0200
Subject: Pls Contact FedEx Courier For your Cashier's Cheque


ALHAJI AND ALHAJI HOLDINGS.
SECRETARY OFFICE.
COUNSELORS AT LAW
06 BP 1409 AKPAKPA
AGALAN
COTONOU REPUBLIC OF
BENIN.
Dear Friend,

I have been waiting for you since to come down here and pick your Cashier's
Cheque which was given to me by my Boss, Alhaji

Dangote to keep till you contacted me. This Cashier's Cheque worth US$1.5M
but I did not heard from you since that time , then I

went and deposited the Cashier's Cheque with FedEx Courrier company here in
Benin Republic , because I am travelling to Iraq to

see my Boss and will not come back till Three months time. You have to
contact the FedEx Courier company to know when they

will deliver your package . I have paid for the delivering charges and
insurance fee.

The only money they will ask you, to send to them is their security keeping
fee which is $255 to received your package. Don't be

deceived by any body, this is the only expenses you will incur and your
Cashier's Cheque will be delivered to your address. This is

the Contact Address of Mr Williams Thompson, Director, FedEx Courier service
company, Cotonou, Benin Republic.

E-mail: ( fedexexpress05@live.fr)

You should try and contact them immediately because the Cashier's Cheque has
validity date as is the case with all Cashier's

cheque all over the World. I gave them your delivering address but you have
to reconfirm it to them again to avoid wrongful

delivering. And once more, you should bear in mind that this US$255 is the
only expenses you will incur and the Cashier's Cheque

will be delivered to your address as you provided. Hence get them to give
you the information which you will use to send the

US$255 to them and instruct the Director in Cotonou Benin Republic, Mr
Williams Thompson to get the delivery of your Cashier's

Cheque to your address without any further delay.

YOUR FULL NAME-------------
CONTACT ADDRESS------------
TELEPHONE NUMBER-----------
FAX NUMBER-----------------
Please, Do Let me know as soon as you receive your Draft .

Thanks
Barrister John Hillary

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam