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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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• 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:

• 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 company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
• 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.
  • +22993093861 (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.
  • apex_courier@hotmail.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:52:53 +0100
Subject: CONTACT APEX COURIER COMPANY FOR YOUR BANK DRAFT!!!


Dear Friend,
I did not hear from you since for your Confirmable Bank Draft of
$800,000 USD,which i kept for I went and deposited it with APEX
EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY,
so contact them.
Contact person Eric James
PHONE: +229 930-93861
E-mail: (apex_courier@hotmail.fr)

Registration Reference No; wwdsc/xxx/100
Code Number:xxxdcsc/6545

I paid for the delivering Charges except their Security Keeping Fee of
$98 USD which they said no because they don't know when you will
contact them in case of demurrage. So you are to pay the $98 as soon
as you contact them.Note the APEX COMPANY didnot know what is inside
the package because i registered it as my (pix) being sent to a friend
overseas.They do not know that it contains a bank draft of such amount
of money.This is to avoid them tempering with the package.Do not let
them know the contents.I am waiting to hear the good news from you.

Regards,
STANLEY CHYNOO.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam