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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: CRISTINA DIE ROS <crisdieros@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: mackgeorge12@netscape.net
Date: Fri, 28 Oct 2005 18:50:01 +0200
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION


INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY PROGRAM
MADRID SPAIN
FILE REFERENCE NO:
PP2005-001-MLI
BATCH: 1505/004NL
TO WINNERS IN OUR PROGRAM
We wish to congratulate you over your success in our computer balloting sweepstake held recently.
This is a millennium scientific computer game in which email addresses were used. It is a promotional program aimed at encouraging internet users; therefore you do not need to buy ticket to enter for it.
However,your email address was attached to ticket number 10CBG3471913; with serial number 19034 draw the lucky numbers 1-9-74-31, which eventually won the lottery in the first category of the draws. This entitled to a cash award of €500,000.00 ( FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND EUROS). This is from total prize money of €15,000,000.00 distributed
to winners from 1st to 3rd categories.
Note that this program was largely promoted and sponsored by a group of philanthropist, industrialists from the internet ware industry and some other big multinational firms who wish to be anonymous.
To begin your claim, please contact the claims coordinator
Mr. Mack George
TEL: +34636402768
Email address: mackgeorge12@netscape.net
Yours Faithfully,
MRS.CRISTINA ROS DIE

Anti-fraud resources: