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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:

• 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. )
  • "hundred thousand us dollars" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "cheques " (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.
  
• 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.
  • +2348050745939 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "FedEx Online Management Team." <Blaire@rma.ac.be>
Reply-To: michealdouglas1@live.com
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 20:14:07 +0200 (CEST)
Subject:

Customer Service:

We have been waiting for you to contact us for your Package that is been
registered with us for shipping to your residential location. We had
thought that your sender gave you our contact details. It may interest you
to know that a letter is also added to your package. However, we cannot
quote its content the content of your package itself is a Bank Draft worth
of $800,000.00 Eight Hundred Thousand US Dollars). As you know, FedEx does
not ship money in CASH or in CHEQUES but BANK DRAFTS are shippable.

The package is registered with us for mailing by an official of the united
nation office in UK.We are sending you this email because your package is
been registered on a Special Order. What you have to do now, is to contact
our Delivery Department for immediate dispatch of your package to your
residential address. Note that as soon as our Delivery Team confirms your
information, it will take three (3) working days (72Hrs) for your package
to arrive at your designated destination.

For your information, the VAT & Shipping charges as well as Insurance fees
have been paid by your colleague before your package was registered.

Note that the payment that is made on the Insurance, Premium & Clearance
Certificates, are to certify that the Bank Draft is not a Drug Affiliated
Fund DAF) neither is it funds to sponsor Terrorism in your country. This
will help you avoid any form of query from the Monetary Authority of your
country.

However, you will have to pay a sum of £105 GBP which is equivalent to
$210 USD to the FedEx Delivery Department being full payment for the
Security Keeping Fee of the FedEx Company as stated in our privacy terms &
condition page. Also be informed that your colleague wished to pay for the
Security Keeping charges, but we do not accept such payments considering
the fact that all items & packages that is registered with us have a time
limitation and we cannot accept payment without knowing when you will be
picking up the package or even respond to us. So we cannot take the risk
to have accepted such a payment incase of any possible demurrage. Kindly
note that your colleague did not leave us with any further information.

We hope that you respond to us as soon as possible because if you fail to
respond until the expiry date of the foremos package, we may refer the
package to the British Commission for Welfare as the package do not
have a return address. Kindly contact the delivery department FedEx
Delivery Post) with the details given below:

Contact Person: Mr. Micheal Douglas.
Email: michealdouglas1@live.com
Tel:+234 8050745939.

Kindly complete the below form and send it to the email address given
above.. This is mandatory to reconfirm your Postal address and telephone
numbers.

FULL NAMES: TELEPHONE: POSTAL ADDRESS: CITY: STATE: COUNTRY:

As soon as your details are received, our delivery team will give you the
necessary payment procedure so that you can effect the payment for the
Security Keeping Fees. As soon as they confirm your payment of £105 GBP
which is equivalent to $210 USD, they shall immediately dispatch your
package to the designated address. It usually takes 72 Hours being an
express delivery service.

Ensure to contact the delivery department with the email address and
ensure to fill the above form as well to enable successful reconfirmation.

Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Margaret Blaire.
FedEx Online Management Team.
All rights reserved. © 1995-2008 FedEx.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam