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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
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• 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.

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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:
  • "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 send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
  • "certificate 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 send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
  • "security keeping 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 send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
  • "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 send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
  • "courier company" (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. )
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: Dear Prospective Award Winner <kspleid@effloresco.com>
Reply-To: fedex.courierservices09@live.com
Date: Wed, 08 Jul 2009 04:17:03 -0500
Subject: Dear Prospective Award Winner,



Dear Prospective Award Winner,

How are you today? I hope all is well with you and your family and i also hope
that this email meets you in a Good condition since i have lost contact with
you for so long.

I have been waiting for you ever since to contact me for your Confirmed Bank
Draft of $1.5m United States Dollars that was allocatted to you but I did not
hear or receive any email or phone calls from you ever since that time, Then I
went and deposited the Bank Draft of $1.5 with FedEx Couriers Services Europe,
I then traveled out of the country for a 3 Months Course and I will not come
back till end of December.

What you have to do now is to contact the FedEx Couriers Company At (WEST
AFRICA) as soon as possible to know when they will deliver your package to you
because of the expiring date.

For your information, I have paid for the delivering Charge, Insurance premium
and Clearance Certificate Fee of the Cheque showing that it is not a Drug
Money or meant to sponsor Terrorist attack in your Country.

The only money you will send to the FedEx Couriers Limited at WEST AFRICA to
deliver your Bank Draft directly to your postal Address in your country is
($185.00 US) Dollars only being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier Company so
far.Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay any other money except
$185.00US Dollars.

I would have paid for that also but the FedEx Courier Group said no because
they don't know when you will contact them and in case of demurrage.You have
to contact the FedEx Couriers Limited at West Africa now for the delivery of
your Draft with this information bellow;

Contact Agent: Mr. Felix Duke
Contact Email Address: fedexexpressservice36@live.com
Web-Site: www.fedex.com

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address() and Direct
telephone number to them again to avoid any mistake on the Delivery and ask
them to give you the tracking Pin Number to enable you track your package over
there and know when it will get to your
address.

Let me repeat again, try to contact them as soon as you receive this mail to
avoid any further delay and remember to pay them their Security Keeping fee of
$185.00 US Dollars for their immediate action. You should also let me know
through email as soon as you receive your Draft.

Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Mrs Paula Kennedy.
United Nation Grant Allocation Officer
Compensation Board Organisation.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam