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

Fraud email example:

From: "JOHN ERI" <johneri81@ig.com.br>
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:50:26 +0200
Subject: CONTACT PARCEL EXPRESS


Dear Friend,

Good Day, I have waited for your Email as you promised but did not hear
from you. So i went to the Bank of Africa to confirm if the Cheque is
getting close to expire and the Manager of the bank told me that before the
draft will get to your address that it will expire. Then I told him to help
me and cash the bank draft of $1.5 million to cash payment.

However, I have successfully cashed the Cheque and packaged your Cash in a
Cargo box and had registered it in the PARCEL EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY here
in Benin Republic because I will travel soon to see my boss and will not
come back soon.

You have to contact the PARCEL EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY to know when they
will deliver your package to your address. I have paid for the delivering
charges and insurance fees. The only money you have to send to them is their
SECURITY KEEPING FEE to receive your package and as i do not know when you
will be contacting them.

HERE IS PARCEL EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY ADDRESS BELOW/
DR ARNOLD AKA
E-MAIL: (parcelxpresscourier111@ymail.com)
CONTACT PHONE (+229)97250995

Please, Send them your contacts information to able them locate you
immediately they arrived in your country with your BOX.

This is the information they need from you.
1. YOUR FULL NAME.
2. YOUR HOME ADDRESS.
3. YOUR CURRENT MOBILE NUMBER.
4. YOUR OCCUPATION
5.YOUR PHOTOGRAPH

Try to contact PARCEL EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY as soon as possible to avoid
increasing the security keeping fees. I gave them your delivering address
but you have to reconfirm it to them again to avoid any mistake in the
delivery.

Note; I didn't tell the PARCEL EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY that it's money
inside the box, I registered it as a package of an African cloths/Family
Valuables. This is to avoid delaying or any upfront problem during the
delivery, So do not let them to know that the package contents money inside
until you have received it in your house address ok and this is the code
which you send to them for verifications (PX008).

Do let me know as soon as you received your package. My Regards to your
Family.
Yours,
John Eri

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam