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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "insurance fee " (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. )
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • +22997529737 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs Mary Spencer <serviceclient.mail@gmail.com>
Reply-To: fedexdeliverycompanbeninwestafrica@live.fr
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:03:48 +0100
Subject: Contact Fedex Express For Your Package:




Hello My Dear.
I have Paid for the delivery fee for your Cheque Draft.but the manager of
Ecko Bank Benin told me that before the check will get to you that it wil=
l
expire.So i told him to cash $1.5Million(One Million Five Hunrend Thousan=
d
United State Dollars)
all the necessary arrangement of delivering the $1.5Million in cash was
made with=20
FEDEX SERVICE COMPANY PLC.

Be inform that there are some documents to be secured.The only fee you
have to send to them is($100. usd) which will serve as the insurance fee
and claims of affirdavite to enable them deliver the parcel to you
immediately.
Do contact them and let me know when you have recieve your fund, below is
the needed information to enable them deliver your fund to you
immediately.

FEDEX SERVICE COMPANY PLC
DIRECTOR REV DR ERIC BISSOLA
Hot Line.......+229-9752-9737
Cell Pone......+229-9348-7703
EMAIL=3D=3D=3D fedexdeliverycompanbeninwestafrica@live.fr

1.YOUR FULL NAME=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D:
2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D:
3.YOUR HOME
TELEPHONE=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D:
4.A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D:
5.CURRENT MAILING ADDRESS=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D:
6.YOUR NEAREST AIRPORT=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D:

Do let me know immediately you receive your consignment that consisty Our
fund that i deposited in the fedex SERVICE company so that we can share
the joy togerther.
BEST REGARD
SECRETARY FRANK JOE.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam