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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
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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:

• 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)
  • "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.
  • +22993008964 (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.
  • fcc_bj@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • barrbecoben@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:28:35 +0100
Subject: CONTACT THE FEDEX COMPANY FOR YOUR FUNDS


  
  Dear Friend,
Compliment of the day, I have been waiting for you since to come down here and pick your Bank Draft which my boss left with me before he travelled to England but I did not hear from you since that time till today. I went to the bank to confirm whether the draft is getting close to expire as it had been long time my boss issued the draft. 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 cashier bank draft of $12,500.000.00 to cash payment.
However, I have successfully cashed the draft and packaged it in a box and have registered it in the Fedex Express Company Service here in Benin Republic because I will travell to see my boss in England and will not come back till Dec 20th 2008. You have to contact the Fedex Express Company 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 feeswhich is USD$135.00 USD to receive your package. Don't be deceived by any body.
This is their Contact Address;
ATTN: CHIFE MR. GEORGE KOB (Director)
Tel:  +229 93008964 E-mail:(fcc_bj@yahoo.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 increasement of the security keeping fees Note; I didn't tell the Fedex Express Company Service that it's money inside the box, I registered it as a package 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 contents 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 longe available now that I am out from our country. Contact me at (barrbecoben@yahoo.com) and I will reply as soon as I can.
I wish you and your family Long Life,a
Prosperity and Happy 2008
Thanks and Remain Blessed.
Yours sincerely,
barr beco ben

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam