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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: "national lottery" <national_uk3_lotto@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: luckylotto003@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 02 Oct 2005 01:25:04 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS

[UK National Lottery Logo]

 
 
The Marina Offices,
St Peters Yacht Basin,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE6 1HX
England
 
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369
 
                               WINNING NOTIFICATION
 
We happily announce to you the draw (#974) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY,online Sweepstakes International program held on wenesday 28th of september, 2005. It is yet to be unclaimed and you are getting the final NOTIFICATION as regards this.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: 3, 18, 25,29, 31, 43(bonus ball 23), which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e match 6 plus bonus.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £984,008 (Six hundred and Eighty-four thousand and Eight pounds sterling) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.
This is from a total cash prize shared amongst the(7)lucky winners in this category i.e Match 6 plus bonus.  All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion takes place weekly.
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your  £984,008 (nine hundred and Eighty-four thousand and Eight pounds sterling) will be released to you by any of our payment offices in Europe.
Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact her.For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize.
This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned.
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent:
 
Name: Peter Andrews
Official Email: luckylotto003@hotmail.com
Endeavour to email him your full names,winning numbers,email address,telephone and fax numbers immediately.
Congratulations from me and members of staff of THE NATIONAL LOTTERY.
 
Yours faithfully,
Thomas barnes
Online coordinator for UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program.

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