419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "consignment " (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "courier service" (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 fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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.
- +447017962765 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: MAINLINK COURIER SERVICE LTD <mainlink24hrsdelivery@live.com>
Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2010 18:03:38 +0100
Subject: =?windows-1256?Q?DELIVERY_P?= =?windows-1256?Q?LANS_OF_YO?=
=?windows-1256?Q?UR_WINNING?= =?windows-1256?Q?_PARCEL=FE=FE=FE?=
=?windows-1256?B?/v7+/v7+/v7+/g==?= =?windows-1256?B?/v7+/v7+/i7+/g==?=
=?windows-1256?B?/v7+/v7+/v7+/g==?= =?windows-1256?Q?=FE?=

MainLink Couriers
MainLink House
24 Turnpike,
Blunsdon,Swindon,
Wiltshire,SN26 7EA

London,United Kingdom.

Dear Valuable Customer:

Greetings to you from MAINLINK COURIER SERVICE LTD.

This mail is to officially inform you about the completion of your winning verification process and on the other hand to intimate you that your approved winning cheque of Seven Hundred And Fifty Thousand Great Britain Pound Sterling’s{750,000.00GBP} Only is ready for delivery/pick-up.

At MainLink Courier Services Ltd we offer a variety of Next Day 'Domestic' services. Our complete range of delivery options ensure that our Customers can receive their goods exactly when they want them. We will only deliver the parcel to the address received from the Yahoo/Msn & Microsoft Windows Lottery Board Organization and we will only hand over the parcel to the beneficiary ONLY whom will sign for its collection. This individual must have a valid identification of him/herself as proof. Also we do not allow customers to send their friends or relatives to pick up their parcel on their behalf, due to security reasons.

Mainlink was established in 1989 to provide dedicated transport solutions, mostly sameday, within and outside the UK.Developed over the years through providing a consistently high level of service to various corporate clients around the World. The loyalty of clients is testament to the performance of any organization and we are proud that we still supply some companies that became clients in 1989.We have grown considerably and have relocated into premises able to accommodate more growth plus storage. To enable us to provide a nationwide Sameday express service, collecting consignments from all over the UK, we became members of the National Courier Association (NCA). The NCA is a network of over 100 other like minded Sameday Couriers companies and is now the best sameday network in the UK. In 2005 we launched Airlink Worldwide to provide a full range of Next Day and International courier services, freight forwarding, import and export options. This development enables us to provide a complete 'One stop shop'
for all our clients courier and shipping requirements.

"YOUR CONSIGNMENT IS OUR BUSINESS"

Having considered all possible measures to convey your winning cheque to you, we resolve to use a special delivery company under the Diplomatic Umbrella here in UK (MAINLINK COURIER SERVICE LTD, LONDON). We have made all necessary arrangement to convey your winning prize direct to your doorstep. Your name, phone number and address has been Received and sent to our department in charge of the delivery.

Let it be known to you that all taxes has been paid by (Yahoo/Msn & Microsoft Windows lottery Board Organization). Therefore, you will only be required to pay for the Clearing charge which is 25,000 INR only for the clearing of your consignment from the Indian custom upon the arrival of the delivery officer to your country India.

The delivery officer (Mr. Perry Hills) will personally present to you all the relevant documents and your winning cheque and certificate and also assist you thought all the process of remittance there in your home country (INDIAN).

You are advice to make the required 25,000 INR available to him once he arrives India to enable him fulfil the normal Indian customs clearing obligations at the International Airport so that your parcel Seven Hundred And Fifty Thousand Great Britain Pound Sterling’s {750,000.00GBP} can be release to him by the Indian customs so that he can proceed to your address for the delivery. Please, you must keep secret of your winning until it arrives your doorstep for security reasons.

The delivery of your prize is currently on the way as it is passing through the British Security Screening. We realize recently that such procedures have been adopted on your consignment leaving United Kingdom for Asia.

Due to the urgency needed in this delivery we are informing you that (Mr. Perry Hills), Special Chief Delivery officer from (MAINLINK COURIER SERVICE LTD, LONDON) will be leaving UK for INDIA to make the delivery of your winning cheque (parcel) through British Airways.

Departure Date/time:- December 19TH 2010- 4:50 :00 PM UK TIME

Arrival Date/time:- December 20TH 2010- 09:15:00 AM

Please ensure that you co-operate with him and follow his instructions and directives to avoid any delay in handing over your winning cheque to you because he has little time to spend in INDIA. Make available to him the clearing charges immediately he calls you, because the Indian customs Authority Will Not Release Your Winning Parcel without the payment of 25,000INR for the custom clearing formalities of your parcel by The Government Of India Airport Custom Authorities.

On behalf of the entire members and staff of the Yahoo/Msn & Microsoft Windows lottery Board Organization and the British gaming board, I want to congratulate you and your family for this wonderful opportunity. We await your urgent reply to this mail. Upon the receipt of this email kindly inform us about your decision before we commence delivery.

Thanks for using the MAINLINK COURIER SERVICE LTD. Your satisfaction is our priority and we look forward to providing you the best of our quality service.

Do have a wonderful day in anticipation of hearing from you ASAP.

KINDLY SEND YOUR OPTION WITHIN 24HRS OF RECEIPT OF THIS STATING CLEARLY YOUR READYNESS TO PERFORM THE CUSTOM CLEARANCE PAYMENT OF 25,000 INR SO THAT WE CAN IMMEDIATELY SWING INTO ACTION AND SEND OUR REPRESENTATIVE DIPLOMAT (MR Perry Hills) TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY "INDIA" ALSO CALL OUR CUSTOMER LINE FOR CONFIRMATION (+447017962765)

Mr Tom Cole

Dispatch Officer{ MAINLINK COURIER SERVICE LTD }
Tel:+447017962765
24 HOURS SERVICE.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam