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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:
  • "clearance certificate" (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 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. )
  • "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: "Mr. George Patrick." <fedexdelivery.service190@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: fedex.deliveryservice180@live.com
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:43:07 +0530 (IST)
Subject: Greetings

Greetings,

I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft of $800,000,00 United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you
since that time. Then I went and deposited the Draft with FEDEX COURIER
SERVICE, West Africa, I travelled out of the country for a 3 Months
Course and I will not come back till end of July. What you have to do now
is to contact the FEDEX COURIER SERVICE 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 delivering Charge, Insurance
premium and Clearance Certificate Fee of the Cheque showing that it is
not a Drug Money or meant to sponsor Terrorist attack in your Country.

The only money you will pay to the FEDEX COURIER SERVICE to deliver your
Draft direct to your postal Address in your country is ($180.00 US)
Dollars only being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier Company so far.
Again, on't be deceived by anybody to pay any other money except $180.00
US Dollars. 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 FEDEX COURIER SERVICE now for the delivery of your Draft
with this information below is the deliver company detials and also you
call them.

Contact Person: Mr. Michael Brawn
Emai: fedex.deliveryservice180@live.com
Tel+234) 703 880 9884

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Full Name, Home Address,
Country, Sex and Direct telephone number to them again to avoid any
mistake on the Delivery and ask them to give you the tracking number to
enable you track your package over there and know when it will get to
your address. 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 $180.00 US Dollars for their immediate
action. You should also let me know through email as soon as you receive
your Draft. And remember to attach your passport or licence for delivery
identification.

Yours Faithfully,
Mr. George Patrick.

-- Sent at 13:48:06 on 08/19/08 through NITK (http://www.nitk.ac.in/) Email Gateway . AV scanning & Spam checking are done on this mail --

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam