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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
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• 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:
  • "insurance fee " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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: "hgrt" <esibeibe1@centrum.sk>
Date: Thu, 07 Aug 2008 05:26:29 +0200
Subject: Attention Dear,


Attention Dear,   I have Paid for the delivery fee for your Cheque Draft.but the manager of Eko Bank Benin told me that before the check will get to you that it will expire.So i told him to cash $850,000.00 all the necessary arrangement of delivering the $850,000.00 in cash was made with SHALOM COURIER COMPANY.  Be inform that there are some documents to be secured.The only fee you have to send to them is $95 usd which will serve as the insurance fee and claims of affadvite to enable them deliver the parcel to you immediately. Do contact them and let me know when you have recieve your fund, below is the needed information to enable them deliver your fund to you immediately.
 
SHALOM COURIER COMPANY DIRECTORPROFFESOR.REV.MAXWELL SHARGANEMAIL========= glo_exp_courier_comp0004@yahoo.frTelephone===== +2229-93 877234
 
1.YOUR FULL NAME..................2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS.............3.YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER............4.A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE............5.CURRENT MAILING ADDRESS............
 
Do let me know immediately you receive your consignment that consist yur fund that i deposited in the shalom courier company so that we can share the joy togerther.
ESIB EIBEDrsteve oka.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam