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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: promotions@websurfer.co.za
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2004 13:43:46 +0100
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE WON!!!

PROMOTERS FLASH LOTTO ORG, MELVILLE, SOUTH AFRICA

NOTIFICATION OF YOUR LOTTO WINNING

ATTENTION:

we are pleased to inform you Friday 22nd October, 2004 as one of the
lucky winners of the NATIONAL ELECTRONIC LOTTERY INC draws, held on Thursday 21st October, 2004 as part of Our e-business promotional draws.

Participants in the draws were selected through a computer ballot
system drawn from 2,500,000 e-mail addresses of individuals and
companies from Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Middle East, and New Zealand as part of our electronic business Promotions Program.

You qualified for the draw as a result of you visiting various websites
we are running the Electronic-business promotions for. You/Your Company e-mail address, attached with REFERENCE NUMBER: ZAR 23457677/2004 BATCH NUMBER: 79-124-WAN with serial number 818-09 drew the lucky numbers 2-9-22-23-24-30 and consequently won in the second quarter of the 2004 year draw.

You have therefore been approved for lump sum pay out of US$2,200,000.00 in cash, which is the winning payout for First category
winners. This is from the total prize money of US$15,000,000.00 shared
among the seven winners in the First category.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Your winnings should be claimed from our paying Agents here in South Africa As we have notified them. Due to the mix-up that may arise from emails of winners and numbers we ask that you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this program.

We hope with a part of your prize, you will participate in our end of year (2004) high stakes US$1.1 billion International Lottery.To begin your claim,

please contact our claims manager in our claims department.

MR GEORGE THABO
CLAIMS MANAGER
FOREIGN SERVICE MANAGER
MELVILLE,
SOUTH AFRICA
TEL: +27-73-553-1995.
EMIAL claimsdept@websurfer.co.za


For due processing and remittance of your prize money, Remember you
must contact your claim agent not later than two weeks from the day you receive this notification. After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.

Congratulations Once Again

Thanks

Mr. Anthony Brixton

Promotions Manager




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