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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "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.
- +22998257795 (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.
- infosbcglobalamerican@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR,YAYA CHANG DAIVS" <the_transporter22@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: infosbcglobalamerican@yahoo.fr
Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2012 11:15:02 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CONTACT A.B.C GLOBALINE AND DELIVERY COMPANY NOW FOR YOUR CACHIER
CHECQUE}}

Dear Friend,
Greetings!

I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft of $800.000.00 United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you since
that time.
Then I went and deposited the Draft with ABC Security & Express Courier
Company, Cotonou, Benin Republic before I travelled out of the country for a 3
Months Course and I will not come back till end of November.

What you have to do now is to contact the ABC Express Courier & Security
Company 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 Courier & Security Company to deliver your
Draft direct to your postal Address in your country is ($85.00 US) Eighty Five
United States 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 $85.00 US
Dollars. I would have paid that but they said no because they don't know when
you will contact them and in case of demurrage.

You have to contact the ABC Express Courier & Security Company now for the
delivery of your Draft with this information bellow;

Contact Person: Dr andy moor
contact mobile phone +229 982 577 95
EmailAddress:(infosbcglobalamerican@yahoo.fr)
Or visit our company web-site at /www.globalamericanline.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 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
$85.00 US Dollars for their immediate action.

Yours Faithfully,
MR,YAYA CHANG DAIVS.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam