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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr Mike Johnson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <drmikejohnson62@yahoo.fr>
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:06:02 +0100
Subject: Contact Skyline Courier Company For The Package Immediately

Dear Friend,
 
How are you today ? I am very happy to inform you about my success in getting those funds transferred under the co-operation of a new partner from Australia Mr Alain Cooper. Considering your efforts during those trying periods, though it did not workout, i have raised an international Bank Draft of $1.2m usd in your name as a compensation but deposited it with Skyline Courier Delivery Company Benin Republic, before I travelled out of the country for an investment project and will not come back till the end of next month.
 
What you have to do now is to contact Skyline Courier Delivery Company as soon as possible to know when they will deliver the Draft to you because of the expiring date.
 
For your information, I have paid for the delivering Charges, The only money you will pay to the Delivery Company to deliver your Draft direct to your postal Address in your country is ($106) being their Security Keeping Fee.
 
I would have paid security keeping fee but the courier company said no because they don't know when you will contact them for the draft. You have to contact the Delivery Company now for the delivery of your Bank Draft with this information bellow.
 
Company's Name ; Skyline Courier Delivery Company
 
E-mail : skyline.company@sify.com
 
Phone : +229 982 464 85
 
Registration Reference No; wwdsc/xxx/100
Code Number:xxxdcsc/6545
 
Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address and direct telephone number to them again to avoid any mistake on the delivery and 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 $106 for their immediate action. You should also Let me know through email as soon as you receive your Draft.
 
Note; Skyline Courier Delivery Company Benin Republic do not know the contents of the package. I registered it as my photograph (pix) being sending to a friend overseas. They do not know that it contains a bank draft of such a huge amount of money, this is to avoid them tampering with the package. Do not
let them know the contents of the package. I am waiting to hear the good news from you.
 
Regards,
Rev. Dr Mike Johnson
 

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