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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "courier service" (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. )
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +22993843698 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • edwardbaldwin@o2.pl (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Baldwin Edward" <edwardbaldwin26@nsk.biz>
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 16:35:33 +0100
Subject: YOUR URGENT CONTACT TO UNIVERSAL EXPRESS


*Dear Friend,

Compliment of the day to you and your family. I have been waiting for you
since to come down here and pick your Cheque which my boss left with me on
his departure to England but I did not hear from you since that time till
today. I went to the bank to confirm whether the Cheque is getting close to
expire as it has been long time my boss issued the Cheque. The director of
the bank told me that before the draft will get to you that it will expire.
Then I told him to help me and cash the Cheque worth of $1.500.000.00 to
cash payment.

However, I have successfully cashed the draft and packaged it in a box and
have registered it in the Universal Express Courier Service* *here in Benin
Republic because I will travel to see my boss in England and will not come
back till December 20th 2008. You have to contact the Universal Express
Courier Service* *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 fees which
is USD$125.00 USD to receive your package. Don't be deceived by any body.

This is their Contact Address:*
*Attn: Chief Mr. George Kobra*
*(Director Universal Express Courier Service* *)
Tel/Fax: +229-93843698
E-mail: universal-express@live.fr*


*Send them your contacts information to enable them locate you immediately
they arrived in your country with your package.

This is the information they needed from you.
1. Your full name:.....
2. Your shipping/home address:.....
3. Your tel no #......
4. Your current office tel no #
5. A copy of your passport.

Try to contact them as soon as possible to avoid the weekly incensement of
the security keeping fee.

Note; I didn't tell the Universal Express Courier Service* *that it's money
inside the box, I registered it as a box of a Church Minister Materials.
This is to avoid delay or any upfront problem during the delivery. So, do
not let them know that the package contains money.*
*
Do let me know as soon as you received your package. You will contact me
only through e-mail as my phone is no longer available now that I am out
from our country. Contact me at *

*edwardbaldwin@o2.pl<http://us.mc573.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=edwardbaldwin@o2.pl>
*,* I may not be able to respond to you urgent but I will get back to you
whenever I checked my email.


Thanks and Remain Blessed.
Yours sincerely,
Mr. Edward Baldwin
(Secretary*

**

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam