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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.

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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: Pastorelvisubah@live.fr
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:03:31 +0000
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 bedeceived 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 courierdelivery 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 Elvs

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam